Group Of Moms Taking Aim At Banned Books

Never underestimate the power of a mom. And one group that aims to get moms more involved in local government and school issues is proof of that notion. Book bans have been a hotly contested topic for some time now in the United States, and one group that looks to empower moms and get them more involved in local politics and school issues is dealing with that topic head on.  The recent meeting of “Red, Wine & Blue,” a left-leaning network of women that seeks to channel the “power of a suburban woman”—per the group’s tagline—reignited the fight against book bans for some moms. Some take the fight personally, especially since some of the bans have been happening right in their backyards, even in the Volusia/Flagler area.  Their new initiative known as “Book Ban Busters” highlights areas in the United States where bans on certain books have been put in place by local governments or school districts. They hope that parents or activists will see how many bans are in place so they fight for “an honest and accurate education.”  One such district included on their interactive map is Flagler County, which seemingly served as the flashpoint for book ban arguments. This is after All Boys Aren’t Blue—a series of memoirs penned by George M. Johnson, a black, queer journalist—was pulled from the shelves of Flagler County schools after a school board member claimed the material was too racy for students.  That book, along with other books that covered similar topics, were initially slated to be kept off the shelves. The school district eventually ruled and said some of the books weren’t going to be removed, except All Boys Aren’t Blue. According to the Book Ban Buster map, 12 bans have been requested in Florida, and nine of them have been passed, with one serving as a temporary ban. In fact, across a majority of the United States, a plethora of areas have enacted some kind of book ban, while some have repealed bans. Some areas are also accused of “shadow banning” books, which means they were banned or pulled without discussion. It’s also apparent that most local areas around the eastern United States have requested some type of ban, but only a few have enacted an actual ban. States that have actual bans in place, besides Florida, include Georgia, the Carolinas, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey just to name a few. A number of states have also repealed their bans on certain books. In the fight against banned books, some have claimed that these bans are nothing more than censorship campaigns. And when you look at some of the data, a pattern does emerge. Data from the American Library Association found that most of 2020’s top 10 most challenged books discussed topics of racism and human sexuality—two topics seemingly under fire by recent legislation, including Florida’s recent Parental Rights in Education bill.  Other bills sought to prevent teachers and employers from saying people are inherently racist, sexist or oppressive because of their race, color, sex or national origin. Opponents of those types of bills claim they discuss issues that have not been a problem in the past, adding that they suppress history. Meanwhile, supporters say these types of bills prevent teachers and employers from instilling their own opinions.