Do those stories scare you? They should.
What can you do to prevent these stories from becoming a reality?
Here are the facts:
34 states in the US have challenged or banned books
The top 5 states are:
FL (1406)
TX (625)
MO (333)
UT (281)
PA (186)
These are some intimidating numbers! The good news is that some states have only banned a few books, so there is still time to prevent your state from gaining momentum and challenging or banning more books.
What is the solution?
8 states have passed legislation to ban book bans.
They are:
Illinois: Passed in 2023
California: Passed in 2023
Colorado: Passed in 2024
Minnesota: Passed in 2024
Maryland: Passed in 2024
New Jersey: Passed in 2024
Vermont: Passed in 2024
Washington: Passed in 2024
Notice anything?
The legislation to ban book bans have all been passed as recently as last year!
Is your state on the short list above?
Yes. Great, revel in the fact that your state has enlightened and wise leadership. Pass a link to this site to people in states that you know who are in states that are not on the list above.
No. if you do not see your state on the list, it is time to contact your elected official to tell them you want them to pass a ban on book bans. Write a written letter and snail mail it in (we hear these are read and counted).
Tell friends and family: Contact 5-10 friends or family, who will also write and send letters to your elected officials. Note: they should all be in your state, so the elected official sees that these are their constituents writing in. Send them your sample but encourage them to personalize their letter to show they really care about this.
Locate a petition or start one of your own: Search for a petition or start one of your own to gather signatures in favor of a ban on book bans in your state. Remember the signatures should be fellow constituents in your state. Check your local rules for petitions so you include all the pertinent information required on the petition before you submit.
Parents should join
Book Publishers, Librarians, and Educators should join
Educators should also join
Authors should join
Good luck everyone!
Site related queries: issues {AT} righttoread.xyz
Banning books is un-American, period.
Books can’t defend themselves—they need you to defend them
This is a glimpse into a possible future if we let it.
Don’t let it.
Humans for the Right to Read What We Want