Across the country, we are seeing school boards and state legislatures denying students their First Amendment rights through book bans. The First Amendment protects the right to receive, exchange, and express information and ideas.

To deny students access to books violates their First Amendment rights.

Book bans are on the rise. Bills and policies are being introduced and passed in districts and counties nationwide. Last school year more than 300 picture books were banned for young learners.

The most commonly banned books involve LGTBQ+ or non-white characters or content. Bans include books telling the true story of two male penguins caring for an egg and coming-of-age novels about immigrant teens.

Every student should have access to age-appropriate information and ideas, even if it's uncomfortable for some. A teenager from Oregon shouldn't have a broader understanding of our country than one from Florida.

Many libraries have become conflict zones and many classroom shelves have been emptied. We must call it what it is: authoritarianism.

The good news is that the majority of Americans, including 31 percent of Republicans, do not support book bans.

We must come together to elect leaders who will protect First Amendment rights - from school boards to the president and everything in between.

Today - and every day - I will do all I can to defeat book bans and protect students' First Amendment rights.

Thank you for standing with me,

Suzanne