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Dear, John:

T-Mobile is doing business with Patriot Mobile, a far-right wireless
cellphone provider that has helped to elect school board candidates in
Texas who want to keep Black history out of the classroom!^1 

Now, right-wing conservatives have complete control over four school
districts in North Texas and they already have started to abuse their
powers. One of the school districts implemented a policy that would
restrict classroom discussions on race and gender and also limit the right
of transgender or nonbinary students to use their preferred bathrooms and
pronouns.^2 Another school district removed 41 previously challenged books
from campus library shelves, including “The Bluest Eye” by Toni Morrison,
which tells the story of a young Black girl who navigates anti-Blackness
and socially constructed beauty standards.^3 To date, all but one of the
school districts have enacted policies that marginalize Black, POC and
LGBTQ+ authors, history and students. 

[ [link removed] ]By supporting Patriot Mobile, T-Mobile is complicit in these attacks on
our children and our histories. And it’s time we held them accountable.

[ [link removed] ]TELL T-MOBILE TO DROP PATRIOT MOBILE FROM ITS WIRELESS NETWORK 

In the past year alone, Texas has banned 801 books across 22 school
districts— more than any other state in the country.^4 Nationwide, 1,648
book titles have been banned from schools; 40% of them contain
protagonists or prominent secondary characters of color.^5 These numbers
soon could skyrocket because Patriot Mobile Action PAC recently announced
plans to “expand their efforts to other counties, other states, and be in
every state across the nation.”^6

John, we simply cannot allow this to happen. Banning books
about Black history and lessons involving race robs Black children of the
dignity that comes with learning Black history and U.S. history. And
codifying the practice of misgendering makes trans and nonbinary children
feel invalidated, unseen and unheard. Schools should be a safe haven for
all children. But these Patriot Mobile Action-backed candidates and
policies marginalize students and their humanity.

[ [link removed] ]TELL T-MOBILE TO DROP PATRIOT MOBILE FROM ITS WIRELESS NETWORK

Now, T-Mobile traditionally has supported the education of Black, POC and
LGBTQ+ students, from donating to scholarship programs that benefit HBCU
students to supporting literacy programs for LGBTQ+ youth.^7 That’s why
it’s so alarming that T-Mobile would share its cellular network with a
company that wants to fight against anti-racism initiatives and opposes
LGBTQ+ -inclusive curricula in schools. 

Without the support of T-Mobile, Patriot Mobile PAC could not exist, let
alone continue with its takeover of school boards across the country.
John, it’s now or never. [ [link removed] ]Will you join us in demanding that
T-Mobile  #DropPatriotMobile?

[ [link removed] ]SIGN THE PETITION

Until justice is real,

— Jade Magnus Ogunnaike and the Color Of Change Team

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References:

 1. Shelly Hagan, Scott Moritz and Todd Shields, “T-Mobile faces backlash
on ties to conservative carrier in Texas,” Bloomberg, October 14,
2022,
[ [link removed] ][link removed]
Mike Hixenbaugh, “After a Texas school shooting, conservatives blamed
‘woke’ programs once approved by Republicans,” NBC News, July 18,
2022,
[ [link removed] ][link removed] 
 2. Brian Lopez, “A North Texas school district now lets teachers reject
children’s pronouns—even if parents approve of them,” The Texas
Tribune, August 22, 2022,
[ [link removed] ][link removed] 
 3. Brian Lopez, “Keller school officials order 41 books—including the
Bible and an Anne Frank adaptation—off of library shelves,” The Texas
Tribune, August 16, 2022,
[ [link removed] ][link removed] 
 4. Brian Lopez, “Texas has banned more books than any other state, new
report shows,” The Texas Tribune, September 19, 2022,
[ [link removed] ][link removed] 
 5. Ibid. 
 6. Mike Hixenbaugh, “How a far-right, Christian cellphone company ‘took
over’ four Texas school boards,” NBC News, August 25, 2022,
[ [link removed] ][link removed]
 7. Aryn Fields, “Human Rights Campaign and T-Mobile announce initiatives
for LGBTQ digital literacy and financial empowerment,” Human Rights
Campaign, June 8, 2021,
[ [link removed] ][link removed]
“T-Mobile makes $2.5 million donation aimed at opening doors to
equitable economic and educational opportunities for young adults,”
T-Mobile, February 1, 2022,
[ [link removed] ][link removed]



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