The Librarians (2025)

Tradutores Céticos

Librarians unite to combat book banning, defending intellectual freedom on democracy's frontlines amid unprecedented censorship in Texas, Florida, and beyond.

Transcript

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00:02:44RECENTLY REMOVED BOOKS FROM CLASSROOMS AFTER PARENT COMPLAINTS.

00:02:47REPUBLICAN STATE REPRESENTATIVE MATT CRAUSE OF FORT WORTH SENT THIS LIST OF 850 BOOKS TO A NUMBER OF PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICTS.

00:02:56THERE'S NO INFORMATION ON WHO HELPED REPRESENTATIVE CRAUSE COMPILE THE LIST.

00:03:02WE WERE RIGHT THERE IN THE CROSSHAIRS OF THIS RISING CALL, SO WE FELT LIKE EVERYTHING THAT WE DID WAS BEING WATCHED.

00:03:13IT'S NOT JUST 850 BOOKS, WHICH WE'VE ALL FIXATED ON.

00:03:33HE SAYS, AND ANY OTHER BOOKS.

00:03:36I'M JUST IMMEDIATELY ANGRY BECAUSE IT'S SO OBVIOUS THAT HE IS TARGETING LGBTQ TITLES AND AUTHORS OF COLOR AND BOOKS ABOUT RACE AND BOOKS ABOUT SEX EDUCATION.

00:03:49HE IS ASKING DISTRICTS TO REMOVE THESE AND ANY OTHER BOOKS THAT MIGHT EMBARRASS OR SHAME SOMEONE DUE TO SEX OR RACE.

00:04:01WHAT STRUCK ME WAS, ONE, THERE WAS A LIST OF 850 BOOKS.

00:04:07HE WANTED TO KNOW IF SCHOOL DISTRICTS HAD THEM, HOW MUCH MONEY HAD BEEN SPENT ON THEM.

00:04:13THE LIST INCLUDES TITLES LIKE A BOOK ON THE HISTORY OF THE KKK AND ANOTHER ABOUT DESEGREGATION IN SCHOOLS.

00:04:19THERE ARE ALSO BOOKS ABOUT GENDER IDENTITY, THE LGBTQ PLUS COMMUNITY, AND THE HISTORY OF ROE V. WADE.

00:04:25I DIDN'T EVEN THINK, YOU KNOW, MOST SCHOOL DISTRICTS WOULD ENTERTAIN THIS.

00:04:30I REMEMBER LOOKING AT IT THINKING, THEY'RE SINGLING US OUT AGAIN.

00:04:36A COUPLE DAYS LATER, OUR GOVERNOR DOUBLED DOWN AND SENT A LETTER TO THE TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL BOARDS ASKING THEM TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT PORNOGRAPHY IN OUR LIBRARIES.

00:04:49I'M CALLING FOR THE IMMEDIATE REMOVAL OF THIS VERY GRAPHIC, PORNOGRAPHIC MATERIAL FROM OUR LIBRARIES AND OUR SCHOOLS

00:04:57AND WANT TO ESTABLISH STANDARDS SO THAT PARENTS HAVE THE ASSURANCE THAT THEIR CHILDREN WILL NOT BE EXPOSED TO IT.

00:05:04I REMEMBER SEEING GOVERNOR ABBOTT'S LETTER AND MY DISTRICT WAS MENTIONED SPECIFICALLY.

00:05:11THAT WAS THE FIRST MOMENT THAT I REALIZED SCHOOL LIBRARIANS COULD BE CRIMINALIZED

00:05:18FOR SELECTING BOOKS AND MAKING THEM AVAILABLE ON THE SHELF.

00:05:31ALL BOOKS, ULYSSES. I WONDER WHAT THEY SAY IN ALL THOSE BOOKS.

00:05:37POLITICIANS ARE PLAYING A VERY DANGEROUS GAME WHEN THEY TRY TO MAKE SCHOOL LIBRARIES BATTLEGROUNDS FOR THEIR POLITICAL WAR.

00:05:47BECAUSE THE ONLY PEOPLE THAT THAT IS GOING TO HURT ARE OUR KIDS.

00:05:58THIS SPACE, THESE RESOURCES, THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE THIS MAGICAL ENTRY POINT TO THE WORLD, TO STORIES, TO IDEAS.

00:06:09THERE IT IS. SEE IT? SOMETHING THEY'RE SAYING IN THERE.

00:06:19THERE'S AN A. YEP, THAT'S AN A RIGHT THERE.

00:06:23SURE WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT THEY'RE SAYING IN THERE, THOUGH.

00:06:27SOMETHING THEY'RE SAYING IN THERE, THOUGH.

00:06:29SOMETHING THEY'RE SAYING IN THERE, THOUGH.

00:06:31SOMETHING THEY'RE SAYING IN THERE, THOUGH.

00:06:41SOMETHING THEY'RE SAYING IN THERE, THOUGH.

00:06:51SOMETHING THEY'RE SAYING IN THERE, THOUGH.

00:06:53WE ARE GRANDBERRY HIGH SCHOOL.

00:06:55YOU KNOW, IT'S ALWAYS EXCITING.

00:06:56THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL, KIDS ARE DRESSED UP, PARENTS ARE EXCITED.

00:07:00ESPECIALLY NEW MOMS AND DADS TAKING THAT WALK FOR THE FIRST TIME WITH THOSE FIVE-YEAR-OLDS IN THE KINDERGARTEN.

00:07:06IT'S A GREAT FEELING.

00:07:19I'VE BEEN GETTING SOME E-MAILS, CONCERNS FROM PARENTS, AND THEY ARE GOING TO TRUSTEES.

00:07:27AND TRUSTEES COME TO ME, AND WHEN THEY COME TO ME, I NEED TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH YOU.

00:07:34WE WERE CALLED INTO MEETING AND TOLD, ANYTHING THAT IS SEXUALLY EXPLICIT THAT COULD MEET THE PENAL CODE, YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR IN YOUR LIBRARY.

00:07:45WE'RE GOING TO PULL BOOKS OFF THE SHELVES, ESPECIALLY THE 850 BOOKS THAT WERE PUT FORTH BY WAS REPRESENTATIVE HOUSE, AND THAT'LL KEEP YOU OUT OF A MIND, AND THAT'LL KEEP ME OUT OF A MIND.

00:07:57IT'S THE TRANSGENDER, LGBTQ, AND THE SEX, SEXUALITY IN BOOKS.

00:08:02THAT'S WHAT THE GOVERNOR HAS SAID THAT HE WILL PROSECUTE PEOPLE FOR, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE PULLING OUT.

00:08:07AND I POPPED UP, I SAID JUST THE CROSS LIST, AND GOT THE EVIL EYE.

00:08:13IF YOU DO NOT KNOW THIS, YOU'VE BEEN PROBABLY UNDER A ROCK, BUT GRANBERRY IS IN A VERY, VERY CONSERVATIVE COMMUNITY.

00:08:23IF IT IS NOT WHAT YOU BELIEVE, YOU BETTER HIDE IT, BECAUSE IT AIN'T CHANGING.

00:08:30WE SPENT THE REST OF THE AFTERNOON IN THAT MEETING GOING THROUGH OUR CATALOGUES AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WE HAVE AND WHAT WE DON'T HAVE.

00:08:36I WAS SITTING IN THE LIBRARY READING, AND THESE MEN CAME IN WITH THIS BIG CART, AND THEY WENT UP TO THE LIBRARY, AND SO THEY STARTED SAYING,

00:08:43WHERE ARE THE BOOKS? WE NEED TO GET THESE THINGS OUT OF HERE.

00:08:46WE WERE JUST TOLD, GET RID OF THEM, GET RID OF THEM, DEAL WITH IT, GET RID OF THEM.

00:08:52GETTING THEM OFF THE SHELVES, PUTTING THEM ON CARTS, PUTTING THEM ON WHATEVER, GOING THROUGH BOOKS AND JUST CHUNKING THEM.

00:08:59THEY HAD NO ROOM DOWNTOWN. THE OFFICES WERE FULL OF BOOKS. THE HIGH SCHOOL WAS FULL OF BOOKS.

00:09:07WHEN YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH, LIKE, 10,000 BOOKS, WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO?

00:09:12TO ME, AS A LIBRARIAN, THAT WAS TRAUMA.

00:09:17I WENT TO THE CAMPUS OF A LIBRARIAN I PARTICULARLY FEARED FOR, AND SHE TOOK ME INTO A CLOSET.

00:09:25WAS VERY CAREFUL TO LET ME KNOW WHAT I'M ABOUT TO SHOW YOU IS BEHIND THREE LOCKS, SO I FEEL LIKE IT'S SAFE.

00:09:32LIBRARIAN UNLOCKS EACH OF THOSE, AND WE GET TO THE CABINETS AND OPEN THE CABINETS.

00:09:37IT'S SHELVES AND SHELVES OF BOOKS.

00:09:42HARMLESS BOOKS.

00:09:44I JUST STARTED PUTTING THEM ON THE CARTS AND SAID, NO.

00:09:48EVERY BOOK THAT WAS ON THAT SHELF FELT LIKE A STUDENT THAT WE WERE SAYING, WE'VE GOT TO PUT YOU BEHIND THREE LOCKS.

00:09:56WE'VE GOT TO HIDE YOU BACK HERE IN THE DARK.

00:09:58MANY WELCOME, DIRECTOR.

00:10:01MANY WELCOME, DIRECTOR.

00:10:02MR. REED HARRIS, YOU WROTE A BOOK.

00:10:05AND AT THE TIME YOU WROTE THIS BOOK, DID YOU FEEL THAT MARRIAGE COULD BE CAST OUT OF OUR CIVILIZATION

00:10:11AS ANTIQUATED AND STUPID RELIGIOUS PHENOMENON.

00:10:15YOU PUT AN IMPLICATION ON IT AND YOU FEATURE THIS PARTICULAR POINT OUT OF THE BOOK,

00:10:19WHICH OF COURSE IS QUITE OUT OF CONTEXT, DOES NOT GIVE A PROPER IMPRESSION OF THE BOOK AS A WHOLE.

00:10:24THE AMERICAN PUBLIC DOESN'T GET AN HONEST IMPRESSION OF EVEN THAT BOOK.

00:10:28WELL, THEN LET'S CONTINUE TO READ YOUR OWN WRITING.

00:10:31IF WE WOULD GO BACK IN HISTORY TO MCCARTHYISM, IT FELT LIKE THAT HAPPENED TO THEM.

00:10:36IT WOULDN'T HAPPEN TO US.

00:10:38IT WOULDN'T HAPPEN NOW.

00:10:39AND OUR HEARTS SWELL WITH PRIDE.

00:10:42BECAUSE THOSE WHO WENT BEFORE YOU WORKED.

00:10:45TO GIVE TO US TODAY, STANDING HERE, THIS PRIDE.

00:10:50DON'T JOIN THE BOOK BURNERS.

00:10:52DON'T THINK YOU'RE GOING TO CONCEAL FAULTS BY CONCEALING EVIDENCE THAT THEY EVER EXISTED.

00:10:58DON'T BE AFRAID TO GO IN YOUR LIBRARY AND READ EVERY BOOK.

00:11:04WE DO HAVE A CODE OF ATHICS.

00:11:06AROUND INTELLECTUAL FREEDOM.

00:11:10AROUND PRIVACY.

00:11:12AROUND REPRESENTATION AND ACCESS TO INFORMATION.

00:11:16AND A DIVERSITY OF PERSPECTIVES AND ISSUES.

00:11:20THOSE ARE ALL PART OF OUR CODE.

00:11:22I COULDN'T REMOVE A BOOK BECAUSE IT HAS IDEAS WE DON'T LIKE.

00:11:27CAN'T WE LOOK AT THIS FROM A PRACTICAL POINT OF VIEW?

00:11:30TAKE MY WORD FOR IT, IT'S NOT UNREASONABLE TO ASK YOU TO TAKE OUT JUST THIS ONE BOOK.

00:11:37IF YOU CAN CONTROL THE LIBRARY, YOU CAN CONTROL THE COMMUNITY.

00:11:41BECAUSE IF YOU CAN CONTROL THE FLOW OF INFORMATION, IF YOU CAN CONTROL THE IDEAS, YOU'VE GOT IT.

00:11:46YOU'VE GOT EVERYTHING.

00:11:48OF COURSE YOU'RE COMING AFTER SCHOOL LIBRARIANS FIRST.

00:11:50OF COURSE YOU ARE.

00:11:59TEXAS LEADERS AND PARENTS CONTINUE TO ARGUE OVER WHAT KIDS SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO READ IN THE CLASSROOM.

00:12:04AND NOW WE'RE HEARING FROM A LOCAL LIBRARIAN WHO SAYS SHE LOST HER JOB BECAUSE OF IT.

00:12:13THAT WAS MY OFFICE.

00:12:14OH, WHERE IS IT?

00:12:24THESE ARE TWO BOOKS THAT I WAS ASKED TO BE REMOVED AND I WOULD NOT REMOVE THEM.

00:12:28NOW, THEY ASKED US TO PUT THESE BEHIND THE COUNTER SO THAT THEY WEREN'T AVAILABLE UNLESS YOU KNEW THEY WERE HERE.

00:12:41NOW THEY'VE SEPARATED ALL OF THE PLUSES FROM THE REGULAR BOOKS.

00:12:44THE LGBTQ BOOKS.

00:12:47THEY WERE ALL INTEGRATED BEFORE, BUT NOW THEY'VE SEPARATED THEM.

00:12:51BUT ALSO, WE WENT OUT OF OUR WAY TO GET CHRISTIAN BOOKS JUST FOR THIS GROUP WHEN THEY STARTED MAKING PROBLEMS.

00:12:59SO WE GOT TWO SERIES DOWN HERE JUST SO THAT THEIR CHILDREN, WHO WERE MORE CHRISTIAN-BASED, COULD HAVE THEIR BOOKS, TOO.

00:13:04I HAVE TO SHOW YOU OUR CHILDREN'S LIBRARY.

00:13:07YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHERE OUR PORN LIVES.

00:13:08A DAY IN THE LIFE OF MARLIN BUNDO, HAVE YOU SEEN THAT ONE?

00:13:16IT'S A STORY ABOUT A BUNNY RABBIT.

00:13:18HE MEETS ANOTHER MALE BUNNY.

00:13:21SO THAT BUNNIES END UP GETTING MARRIED.

00:13:25THEY DON'T KNOW THAT'S HERE.

00:13:27WHY DON'T THEY?

00:13:29BECAUSE THEY'RE JUST LOOKING ON THEIR LIST.

00:13:32SO YES, THERE ARE BOOKS HERE THAT THEY MAY NOT LIKE, BUT THEY'RE HERE.

00:13:38THEY'RE HERE.

00:13:42THIS IS THE ACTUAL RULES OF THE LANNO COUNTY LIBRARY.

00:13:45IN NO CASE SHOULD ANY BOOK BE EXCLUDED BECAUSE OF RACE OR NATIONALITY OR THE POLITICAL OR RELIGIOUS VIEWS OF THE WRITER.

00:13:51I FOLLOWED THESE RULES AND I GOT FIRED FOR IT.

00:13:53THAT'S ME WHEN I WAS IN THE U.S. ARMY.

00:14:01WHEN WE TAKE OUR OATH TO PROTECT THE COUNTRY, IT DOESN'T STOP THERE.

00:14:07YOU PROTECT THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES FROM ATTACKS BOTH EXTERNAL AND INTERNAL.

00:14:21DID YOU KNOW THIS BOOK EXISTED?

00:14:23EVERYBODY'S AFRAID TO SAY WHAT THESE PEOPLE ARE ACTING LIKE, BUT IF YOU READ HISTORY, YOU KNOW WHAT THEY ARE ACTING LIKE.

00:14:32IT SAYS, NO TO DECADENCE AND MORAL CORRUPTION, YES TO DECENCY AND MORALITY AND FAMILY AND STATE.

00:14:43YOU DO WELL TO COMMIT TO THE FLAMES THE EVIL SPIRIT OF THE PAST. THIS IS A STRONG, GREAT AND SYMBOLIC DEED.

00:14:50THE TIME OF THE JUDISCHE INTELLECTUALISMUS IS NOW TO END.

00:15:01AND THE DURBURCH OF THE DEUTCHEN REVOLUTION HAS THE GASTER PRAI GEMACHED.

00:15:11A LOT OF THE BOOKS THAT HE BURNED WERE NOT JUST THE JEWISH AUTHORS, THEY WERE THE LGBTQ+.

00:15:17THEY WERE THOSE AUTHORS THAT THEY BURNED.

00:15:28Start throwing it in there! Start throwing it in there! Start throwing it in there! Start throwing it in there!

00:15:32Burn it! Burn it! Burn it!

00:15:38Hallelujah!

00:15:40Woo!

00:15:41Come on, let me throw some of this!

00:15:47Lucille & Shields

00:15:50Durham

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00:16:09I pledge allegiance to you, Texas, one state under God, one indivisible.

00:16:21I do want to clarify a couple of points on behalf of the district.

00:16:25As you know, Texas education is the responsibility of the state,

00:16:31which essentially makes Governor Abbott our CEO.

00:16:35I want to start this out simple.

00:16:36The job of the superintendent and the school board is to not only protect the students in this district,

00:16:41but to make them feel like they have a place in this community.

00:16:44But I got to tell you, from what I've seen so far, you are failing at your job.

00:16:53Hi, guys. Come on in.

00:16:56We've all read Fahrenheit our freshman year, and we talk about the scariness of book banning.

00:17:03Literally, on the windows of our library, our library has a big windowed wall.

00:17:07There are freshman students' drawings about Fahrenheit 451.

00:17:15Look, these are all novels.

00:17:18All about people that never existed.

00:17:21The people that read them and makes them unhappy with their own lives,

00:17:24makes them want to live in other ways that can never really be.

00:17:27So, we must burn the books, Montag.

00:17:34All the books.

00:17:36And seeing that, and knowing what is going on within that library,

00:17:40it feels like it's blatant that there's a facade here.

00:17:44We have books in the library that are pretty heavy

00:17:47and have sexual assault like a clockwork orange, even.

00:17:51And that wasn't pulled, so...

00:17:52Had I not picked this book up, I don't think I would be sitting here now.

00:17:59If it's a cis, straight, white male or female, well, it's no issue.

00:18:04But as soon as you've got any kind of diversity...

00:18:07You've got a gay person, a brown person, cut it out.

00:18:10An analysis of the 850 book list found the following likely reasons for inclusion.

00:18:1860% because of LGBTQ+, 8% because of race and racism,

00:18:2313% because of sexual education, something that is not taught in all Texas schools.

00:18:28Stop the censorship in our district.

00:18:30Wake up to the reality that we are all different

00:18:32and we should all embrace each other with love, not blatant hate.

00:18:34I'm simply going to say that no government

00:18:37and public school is an extension of government

00:18:40has ever banned books and banned information from its public

00:18:43and been remembered in history as the good guys.

00:18:45Let's not misrepresent things.

00:18:47We're not taking Shakespeare or Hemingway off the shelves

00:18:50and we're not going and grabbing every socially, culturally

00:18:53or religiously diverse book and pulling them.

00:18:56That's absurd.

00:18:58And the people that are saying that are gaslighters

00:19:00and it's designed to incite division.

00:19:02I might need somebody else to help me.

00:19:10I need to pass these out.

00:19:11Maybe somebody else to help Karen.

00:19:14You can give them to the board.

00:19:16Definitely she needs to help.

00:19:17I brought you some excerpts of books.

00:19:18I pray you really are able to stop this kind of content

00:19:21from going in the school.

00:19:23These people put sexually explicit content into your libraries.

00:19:29Get ready for truth and transparency.

00:19:32From an ocean of liberal tears.

00:19:35Let's talk about Superintendent Dr. Jeremy Glenn

00:19:39and the smut and porn in the library books.

00:19:42And it's not just his position.

00:19:44It's the position of the school board.

00:19:46It's the position of this community at large.

00:19:49Bottom line, this is about removing pornographic,

00:19:54sexually explicit and vulgar materials from school libraries.

00:19:57I want you to know this.

00:19:59Tonight I'm going to go home and I'm going to get a great night's sleep.

00:20:02Because unlike you, I've actually read what's in those books.

00:20:06And I'm proud that they've been removed from our shelves

00:20:08and we've made the right decision for kids.

00:20:10I taught for about five years.

00:20:20I've taught in a private school setting.

00:20:21I've taught sixth grade social studies.

00:20:24I've taught third grade general education.

00:20:27So all the core classes.

00:20:29My concern was that there might have been stuff

00:20:32that they just didn't know was there.

00:20:34That they just weren't aware.

00:20:35because they didn't know where to look.

00:20:38And at first I didn't know where to look.

00:20:43I had gone to a Moms for Liberty event

00:20:45where we had a preview to a documentary.

00:20:49You are teaching children adult child sex.

00:20:52You're teaching transgender issues.

00:20:54And children are moldable and influenced by that.

00:20:58In my humble opinion, it will be worse before it gets better.

00:21:05My kids go to the schools here.

00:21:10My family's kids go to the schools here.

00:21:12My friends' kids go to the schools here.

00:21:15It was disheartening to think

00:21:16that that was actually happening in my hometown.

00:21:22The books are worse than terrible.

00:21:25They are damaging.

00:21:26They are out to destroy, not,

00:21:28well, they're out to wreck

00:21:29the heterosexual relationship.

00:21:33That's not okay.

00:21:34That's distribution of sexual materials to children.

00:21:38And if the book they have in their hand does that,

00:21:41it has to be kicked out.

00:21:43We first really encountered

00:21:44the Moms for Liberty organizations

00:21:46during COVID

00:21:48as they really pushed to open schools

00:21:51and unmask children.

00:21:53And that's when we started to hear

00:21:55about their parental rights.

00:21:57Some of us moms out here have really struggled,

00:22:00have children that have really struggled

00:22:01with wearing a mask.

00:22:03Then, when that crisis was over,

00:22:07they turned to the books.

00:22:09The things that Moms for Liberty is fighting against

00:22:11is pornography in school,

00:22:13teaching young children scientific ideologies

00:22:16that have, or non-scientific ideologies.

00:22:19This stuff is coming into your schools

00:22:21and it's probably already there.

00:22:23But your job is getting here right here right now

00:22:25and God's place is doing to have an impact

00:22:27and culture and humanity that you're doing right now.

00:22:30And if you do that in Grandbury,

00:22:31then it spreads to Newham County.

00:22:33And once you do that in Newham County,

00:22:34it spreads to Palmer Johnson and Tarrant County.

00:22:36Once you do that, the whole state is on fire.

00:22:38And it just spread.

00:22:44We could almost see a preview of what was to come

00:22:48and this playbook emerged.

00:22:53We were afraid.

00:22:55We were told not to tweet.

00:22:56We were told not to put things on Facebook.

00:22:58They came after me and they came after our library.

00:23:02They came after our library board.

00:23:05We were called evil specialists

00:23:07instead of media specialists.

00:23:11I know they're going to fire me.

00:23:12I know they're making a case to fire me.

00:23:14I know it's coming, but I'm not going to shut up.

00:23:16I'm just not going to do it.

00:23:18You continue to speak out.

00:23:20You will be on the chopping block.

00:23:22You will lose your job.

00:23:23We have guns.

00:23:24When can we start killing liberals?

00:23:26When could they start hunting us?

00:23:27Hold the line against the LGBT mafia

00:23:30and they're dang pedo fans.

00:23:33We had to bring in law enforcement to meetings.

00:23:36This white truck pulled up behind us

00:23:38and the guy rolled down his window

00:23:40and he yelled at me and said,

00:23:42we're coming after you next.

00:23:44We're going to keep coming so hard.

00:23:46The only thing these booktards got to figure out

00:23:48is whether it's on their face, back, border, thighs.

00:23:51Woo!

00:23:55A Florida school district has pulled 176 books

00:23:59from its libraries to comply with

00:24:01the new state education reform law

00:24:03championed by Governor Ron DeSantis.

00:24:05We are going to make sure that parents

00:24:07have a seat at the table

00:24:08and that we protect their rights.

00:24:11Under Florida's HB 1467 law,

00:24:14school books have to be free of pornography

00:24:16or certain race-based teachings.

00:24:19Violating parts of the law

00:24:20could lead teachers to be charged with a felony.

00:24:23Librarians are pulling books

00:24:30without anyone challenging them.

00:24:33The teachers in Manatee County were told

00:24:36by Friday at 3 p.m.

00:24:38you will either cover with paper,

00:24:41turn them to the walls,

00:24:42or take your books home.

00:24:44They thought they were erring on the side of caution,

00:24:47but the kids were so upset

00:24:49that they actually texted their parents

00:24:51and said everyone's crying,

00:24:53everyone's upset,

00:24:54we need our books,

00:24:55we want our books.

00:24:56They wrote emails to the principal

00:24:58saying please don't take away our books.

00:25:05Part of what I see as my calling

00:25:07is taking care of children.

00:25:11Elizabeth Ann Seton

00:25:12was the patron saint of teachers.

00:25:14I do not believe

00:25:20that scripture is there for us

00:25:22to use as a weapon

00:25:23or to make our political points.

00:25:30Please do some research

00:25:32as to our founding fathers.

00:25:34Their biggest fear

00:25:35was that we become a theocracy.

00:25:37They did not want to be governed by a king

00:25:39and they did not want to be governed by a god.

00:25:42They wanted freedom.

00:25:44Librarians have heard from hundreds of kids

00:25:50that books have saved their lives.

00:25:52That's why, to me,

00:25:53I see this as the civil rights fight

00:25:55of our time.

00:26:02And they're not banning just any books.

00:26:05They're banning the best books.

00:26:08We reject woke ideology.

00:26:25We fight the woke in the legislature.

00:26:28We fight the woke in the schools.

00:26:30We fight the woke in the corporations.

00:26:32We will never, ever surrender

00:26:34to the woke mob.

00:26:36Florida is where woke

00:26:38goes to die.

00:26:39We've got...

00:26:54down here

00:26:56a librarian of Auschwitz.

00:26:58Some people are challenging

00:27:00or flamer,

00:27:02which is actually a really good one.

00:27:03And then, of course,

00:27:04Handmaid's Tale.

00:27:05I had been at the school for nine years.

00:27:11It had been a dream job

00:27:13for the first seven of those nine years.

00:27:16The governor says this is child pornography.

00:27:18In June,

00:27:20one of the Moms for Liberty

00:27:22in our area

00:27:23had posted a video

00:27:24about the second book

00:27:26in the Court of Thorns and Roses series.

00:27:28And she tagged all of the schools

00:27:30that had the book

00:27:31in their library.

00:27:32So then the district decided

00:27:33to just quietly pull the books

00:27:37from the shelves

00:27:37and delete them.

00:27:38And I happened to notice

00:27:40a few days later

00:27:41when I went up to work.

00:27:42I was very concerned

00:27:43that this was kind of

00:27:44getting out of hand.

00:27:46So I went to the school board meeting.

00:27:48Hi, good evening.

00:27:49My name is Julie Miller.

00:27:51My address is on file.

00:27:53And I am a high school librarian.

00:27:57I know.

00:27:58We're kind of seen as the bad guy.

00:28:01So I just wanted to give you guys

00:28:03just a moment

00:28:04of hearing straight from

00:28:06one of us

00:28:08who are boots on the ground

00:28:09to let you know

00:28:10like a little bit about us.

00:28:12I am a Baptist minister's wife

00:28:16and daughter of a minister.

00:28:18as well.

00:28:19It was at that same meeting

00:28:21where Bruce Friedman

00:28:23showed up.

00:28:24This year,

00:28:25at least 102 books

00:28:27have been banned

00:28:28in Clay County, Florida.

00:28:30They were removed

00:28:31from school libraries

00:28:32thanks in large part

00:28:33to this single

00:28:34conservative activist.

00:28:35I represent

00:28:36I represent

00:28:37no left turn

00:28:37in education.

00:28:39That's the Florida chapter.

00:28:40I also run

00:28:40the New York chapter.

00:28:41Also a member

00:28:42of Moms for Liberty.

00:28:44I spent like 45 minutes

00:28:46after that meeting

00:28:47talking to him.

00:28:48And it was a,

00:28:49you know,

00:28:50pleasant,

00:28:51weird,

00:28:52but pleasant

00:28:52conversation.

00:28:54And the next thing

00:28:55I know is

00:28:56Bruce essentially

00:28:57said in an article,

00:28:59I'm going to clean up

00:29:01the libraries

00:29:01in Clay County.

00:29:03Anyone who gets

00:29:03in my way,

00:29:04I'm going to run over

00:29:05them like a dead body.

00:29:07And it was just like,

00:29:08first of all,

00:29:08who runs over a dead body?

00:29:10Like,

00:29:10what does that even mean?

00:29:11but very like

00:29:13triggering language.

00:29:16And then he started

00:29:17writing my name

00:29:18on challenge forms.

00:29:21Talk to Julie Miller.

00:29:23Julie Miller has this one.

00:29:24Surprise, surprise.

00:29:26Disgusting.

00:29:28It was like,

00:29:29what is going on?

00:29:30Yes.

00:29:41Julie was very helpful

00:29:44in research

00:29:46of the books

00:29:47that have been banned,

00:29:49the books

00:29:49that have been removed.

00:29:56To attempt

00:29:57to take

00:29:58black history

00:29:59and take

00:30:00a lot of our stories

00:30:02away from children

00:30:03is one of the most

00:30:05evil things

00:30:06I think a person

00:30:07can do.

00:30:09When it comes

00:30:10to the number

00:30:10of banned books

00:30:11at schools,

00:30:12Florida leased

00:30:13the nation

00:30:13and Clay County

00:30:14is number one

00:30:15in the state.

00:30:19Clay County

00:30:20is one of the last

00:30:22good old boy

00:30:22frontiers

00:30:23in North Florida.

00:30:25If you ride

00:30:27through Clay County,

00:30:28most of the streets

00:30:29are named

00:30:31after slave owners.

00:30:33And so that symbolism

00:30:35and that ideology,

00:30:37it gives them

00:30:38opportunity

00:30:39to be deep-sea

00:30:40needed in government

00:30:41positions,

00:30:43superintendents,

00:30:44school board,

00:30:45city managers,

00:30:46all of that.

00:30:52These are some

00:30:53of the books.

00:30:55Stamp.

00:30:58Anybody ever seen

00:30:58the movie Color Purple?

00:31:00Yes.

00:31:01And of course,

00:31:031619 Project.

00:31:05Do you care

00:31:06whether books

00:31:08that are written

00:31:09by African Americans

00:31:10or books like,

00:31:14this book was banned?

00:31:17As a kid,

00:31:19like going to

00:31:19a predominantly

00:31:20white school,

00:31:21I was always

00:31:22questioning,

00:31:23questioning who I was.

00:31:25Like hair,

00:31:27skin color.

00:31:28I feel like

00:31:29this new kid,

00:31:32hair love,

00:31:32I feel like

00:31:33that would have

00:31:33made me feel

00:31:34a little bit

00:31:34more comfortable

00:31:35in my own skin.

00:31:38What's dangerous

00:31:39with this book

00:31:40banning is

00:31:41it's being led

00:31:43by people

00:31:45who say

00:31:46they love God.

00:31:48And I call

00:31:48for the fire of God

00:31:49and the glory

00:31:50of God

00:31:51and the fear

00:31:52of the Lord

00:31:53to fall

00:31:53on Clay County,

00:31:54Florida,

00:31:54in the name

00:31:55of Jesus.

00:31:58Next,

00:31:59we have

00:31:59Jeffrey Dove.

00:32:08I do not

00:32:09wish the fire

00:32:09of God

00:32:10to fall

00:32:10on you all.

00:32:15That's not

00:32:15the God

00:32:16I serve.

00:32:17I'm a lot

00:32:18of things.

00:32:18I'm a pastor.

00:32:19I'm a father.

00:32:20And most of all,

00:32:21I'm a strong

00:32:22black man.

00:32:23But when you

00:32:24started talking

00:32:24about removing

00:32:25African-American

00:32:26authors

00:32:27and African-American

00:32:28history,

00:32:28I got a problem

00:32:29with that.

00:32:31Because right now,

00:32:32we are an embarrassment

00:32:33in the state

00:32:37of Florida.

00:32:38We got the list

00:32:40of these books

00:32:41are to be removed

00:32:41immediately,

00:32:42so says

00:32:43the Oversight Committee.

00:32:47I wrote an email

00:32:48back and just

00:32:49asked,

00:32:51like,

00:32:51could you please

00:32:52provide us

00:32:53with the reason

00:32:55why each of these

00:32:56books is being

00:32:57removed?

00:32:58Some months

00:32:58had went by.

00:33:00I asked someone

00:33:01about Julie

00:33:02and how she was

00:33:03doing.

00:33:04That one thing

00:33:05that I dreaded

00:33:06the most

00:33:06had happened.

00:33:09I lost my job.

00:33:11I was removed

00:33:11from my library

00:33:12for asking questions.

00:33:16They're going to say

00:33:17it's because I was

00:33:18refusing to follow

00:33:19directives.

00:33:21That's not the case

00:33:22at all.

00:33:23It's really just

00:33:24because I kept

00:33:25pushing back.

00:33:32I sat there

00:33:33for three hours.

00:33:34I wasn't giving up.

00:33:36I wasn't budging.

00:33:37I don't care how long

00:33:38it was.

00:33:39They were going to

00:33:39hear me that day.

00:33:40So before actually

00:33:43we move into

00:33:44school board member

00:33:45comments,

00:33:45I did have a question

00:33:46from the audience.

00:33:49The reason I came

00:33:51back is because I

00:33:51saw one of you

00:33:53all's media

00:33:54specialists in

00:33:55Clay County

00:33:55was removed.

00:33:57It's wrong.

00:34:00Don't do people

00:34:02like that

00:34:03when they have

00:34:04a different view.

00:34:05It's not fair.

00:34:06If anybody

00:34:08has to be

00:34:09responsible

00:34:09for this

00:34:10cabalga

00:34:11we're leading

00:34:12the United States

00:34:13and books

00:34:14that are not

00:34:15on the shelf

00:34:15it's y'all.

00:34:18Shame on you.

00:34:19Shame, shame, shame

00:34:20on you.

00:34:22Moms for Liberty

00:34:23are making

00:34:25a lot of ground.

00:34:27Very smart

00:34:28young ladies.

00:34:30I call it

00:34:31wicked genius.

00:34:33It's a genius

00:34:33that curtails

00:34:35to oppressing

00:34:37people.

00:34:39It was like

00:34:40snuffing out

00:34:41a candle.

00:34:43It just

00:34:44happened so

00:34:45like

00:34:46quietly

00:34:47and

00:34:49it's like

00:34:50you're dismissed.

00:34:52And it's all

00:34:53politically

00:34:53motivated,

00:34:54right?

00:34:56But I met

00:34:57the young man

00:34:58outside.

00:35:00I said,

00:35:01how you doing

00:35:02brother?

00:35:02he says,

00:35:07I hate

00:35:08librarians.

00:35:11This can't

00:35:11be America.

00:35:17No,

00:35:17this can't

00:35:18be America.

00:35:18horrible.

00:35:29It feels like

00:35:29I'm living in

00:35:30a dystopian

00:35:31novel right now.

00:35:32Like, if you

00:35:32would have asked

00:35:33me 10 years ago

00:35:33if I was going

00:35:35to have, like,

00:35:35security concerns

00:35:36at a librarian

00:35:37conference,

00:35:38I would have been

00:35:38like, you're

00:35:39nuts.

00:35:42This is the

00:35:43highest number

00:35:44of attempted

00:35:44boat bands

00:35:45since we began

00:35:46compiling these

00:35:47lists 20 years

00:35:48ago.

00:35:49And I hate

00:35:50that censorship

00:35:51affects our

00:35:52professional lives,

00:35:53but it is a

00:35:53reality.

00:35:55Sometimes

00:35:55librarians are

00:35:56relocated to

00:35:57other buildings

00:35:58or grade levels,

00:35:59and sometimes

00:36:00librarians are

00:36:01outright fired

00:36:02for defending

00:36:03intellectual freedom.

00:36:04and then

00:36:06there are the

00:36:06cases where

00:36:07librarians feel

00:36:08for their

00:36:08physical safety

00:36:09and for those

00:36:10of their

00:36:10families.

00:36:12One librarian

00:36:13had her

00:36:13tires slashed

00:36:14during a

00:36:14library board

00:36:15meeting.

00:36:16We understand

00:36:17what's going

00:36:18on right now

00:36:19on a very

00:36:20real and

00:36:21personal level

00:36:21for some of

00:36:22us, but I

00:36:24know that as

00:36:25librarians, we

00:36:26continue to

00:36:27remember and

00:36:29focus on our

00:36:30professionalism and

00:36:32the work that

00:36:32we do.

00:36:33We want to

00:36:33make sure that

00:36:34we are

00:36:35reinforcing to

00:36:36you that even

00:36:37in the darkest

00:36:37of days, this

00:36:39is still what

00:36:41we do.

00:36:46We want to

00:36:47talk about a

00:36:47book-banning

00:36:48controversy

00:36:49underway in

00:36:49Island Trees,

00:36:50New York.

00:36:51For six years,

00:36:52The Naked Ape,

00:36:53Slaughterhouse-Five,

00:36:54and seven other

00:36:54books labeled by

00:36:55the school board

00:36:56as anti-American

00:36:57or obscene have

00:36:58been banned from

00:36:59Island Trees

00:37:00library shelves.

00:37:01Steven Pico,

00:37:02you were one of

00:37:03the students to

00:37:03bring action,

00:37:04will you not?

00:37:04We filed suit

00:37:05because we

00:37:06believe that

00:37:06every American,

00:37:07regardless of age,

00:37:08has the right to

00:37:09be exposed to

00:37:10diversity of

00:37:10viewpoints and

00:37:11gain a number of

00:37:12perspectives on

00:37:12life.

00:37:13The Supreme Court

00:37:14today sharply

00:37:15curbed the

00:37:15authority of local

00:37:16school boards to

00:37:17ban books from

00:37:18school libraries.

00:37:21For laypeople,

00:37:22this is the Roe

00:37:23v. Wade of

00:37:24libraries.

00:37:26When the

00:37:26Krauss list came

00:37:27back, when

00:37:28Granbury boxed up

00:37:29hundreds of books,

00:37:30books, they

00:37:30were infringing on

00:37:32what Pico

00:37:32established.

00:37:34A book cannot be

00:37:35removed because of

00:37:36a disagreement with

00:37:38the ideas that are

00:37:38in the book.

00:37:41We're highly trained

00:37:43in the selection of

00:37:44age-appropriate

00:37:44material.

00:37:46Most of us have

00:37:46library and

00:37:47information science

00:37:48master's degrees.

00:37:50We learned legal

00:37:51precedent.

00:37:52We take courses on

00:37:53it.

00:37:54The thing that truly

00:37:55concerns us is when

00:37:57an individual,

00:37:58whether it be a

00:37:58parent or a

00:37:59non-parent or a

00:38:00single group within

00:38:01the society, tries to

00:38:02determine what is

00:38:03correct for not only

00:38:04that child, but other

00:38:06children as well.

00:38:07That is what we

00:38:08fight.

00:38:19When I was

00:38:20growing up, we had

00:38:20one road here, and

00:38:22if you were black, you

00:38:23lived on that one

00:38:24road.

00:38:27In our parish, we

00:38:28have the highest

00:38:28concentration of, like,

00:38:30KKK, Aryan Nation,

00:38:32those type of groups.

00:38:37I'm not going to say

00:38:38my parents are white

00:38:39Christian nationalists,

00:38:40but when I started

00:38:41being targeted, they

00:38:43didn't speak to me for

00:38:43a week.

00:38:44It's kind of a mess

00:38:46in here.

00:38:49There we go.

00:38:50Turn this.

00:38:54All right.

00:38:55For 40 years, I've

00:38:57been wanting to build

00:38:57a cannon.

00:38:59See, it rolls real

00:38:59easy.

00:39:01It's called the

00:39:01Confederate Mountain

00:39:02Rifle.

00:39:04It's the exact replica

00:39:05of what you would have

00:39:06seen back through the

00:39:07Civil War.

00:39:08You know, I've done a lot of

00:39:16family history and research.

00:39:18My ancestors listed

00:39:19slaves as property, and

00:39:21I'm not proud of that.

00:39:23It's uncomfortable.

00:39:25But I think sometimes we

00:39:25have to be uncomfortable

00:39:26and face that fact.

00:39:28Why would you want to

00:39:29embarrass white kids, or...

00:39:33It's like she said,

00:39:34that's the past, and we

00:39:35can't change that.

00:39:36What you don't want to do

00:39:37is teach your kids to

00:39:40hate their country, because

00:39:42when they grow up, we

00:39:43won't have a country.

00:39:44I love my country, but I

00:39:46think we have to

00:39:46acknowledge that we're

00:39:47not perfect.

00:39:48Don't teach only the

00:39:52bad, the bad, the bad,

00:39:53the bad, the bad, the

00:39:54bad, the bad, the bad.

00:39:57While the rest of us were

00:39:59in lockdown, Live Oak

00:40:00Middle School librarian

00:40:01Amanda Jones and her

00:40:03students were traveling

00:40:04the world.

00:40:05I decided if they

00:40:06couldn't go out in the

00:40:07world, I was going to

00:40:07bring the world to them.

00:40:08She was awarded the

00:40:092021 National School

00:40:12Librarian of the Year.

00:40:13And I hope to use it as a

00:40:15platform to advocate for

00:40:16school libraries across

00:40:17the country.

00:40:21Here is Amanda Jones at

00:40:22the Livingston Parish

00:40:23Library Award meeting on

00:40:24Tuesday, July 19th.

00:40:26Why is she fighting so

00:40:27hard to keep sexually

00:40:28erotic and pornographic

00:40:29material in the kids'

00:40:30section?

00:40:31The reason why I got

00:40:33targeted to attack is

00:40:34because I spoke at our

00:40:35public library board meeting

00:40:36as a parent.

00:40:39If a middle school teacher

00:40:41is promoting pornography and

00:40:42erotic content to kids, I

00:40:44don't care what kind of

00:40:45pedigree she has.

00:40:47And I've never promoted

00:40:48pornography and erotica to

00:40:50children.

00:40:52Our local representative came

00:40:54for a photo op when I got

00:40:56National School Librarian of the

00:40:57here.

00:40:57She was there for that

00:40:58photo op.

00:40:59Two years later, she's

00:41:01perpetuating lies about me.

00:41:06Jones was the subject of

00:41:07harsh memes, comments, and

00:41:09threats.

00:41:10Police couldn't determine who

00:41:12was threatening her.

00:41:16I have made it very well

00:41:18known that I travel with a

00:41:20weapon, multiple weapons, and

00:41:22we got security all around our

00:41:24home.

00:41:25I have escape routes wherever

00:41:26I go in my head, and I get my

00:41:29groceries delivered.

00:41:30I don't go in public in my

00:41:31community.

00:41:34Because the things they say

00:41:35online are so horrible.

00:41:38You know, I should be killed,

00:41:40and I shouldn't be alive, and

00:41:43that's sad.

00:41:44It's just my life now.

00:41:49I don't think any of us

00:41:50imagined when we started out

00:41:52that one day our lives might

00:41:53be at risk.

00:41:54I reached out to a lawyer, just

00:41:57got some background information

00:41:59about our county DA, and who in

00:42:02Texas would want to be the first

00:42:04district attorney to try to

00:42:06prosecute a school librarian.

00:42:09That was an existential moment for

00:42:11me.

00:42:12Imagining my face on the wanted

00:42:14poster and my friends being taken

00:42:16away in handcuffs.

00:42:17You are obsolete, Mr. Wordsworth.

00:42:21A lie.

00:42:22No man is obsolete.

00:42:24You're a librarian, Mr. Wordsworth.

00:42:27I'm a human being.

00:42:28I exist.

00:42:29And if I speak one thought aloud,

00:42:32that thought lives, even after I'm

00:42:34shoveled into my grave.

00:42:36You waste our time, Mr. Wordsworth,

00:42:39and you're not worth the waste.

00:42:42How do you find, ladies and

00:42:43gentlemen?

00:42:44Obsolete.

00:42:47Obsolete.

00:42:48Obsolete.

00:42:49Obsolete.

00:42:50I concur.

00:42:50When I was first attacked back in

00:43:082021, a student who was not a

00:43:11library regular previously started

00:43:16showing up in the first couple of

00:43:17weeks in September every day during

00:43:20lunchtime and would just roam the

00:43:21stacks.

00:43:25And I'd go out and I'd say, can I

00:43:27help you find anything?

00:43:28And he would say no.

00:43:29And I would leave it at that.

00:43:30I don't want to, you know, nag a

00:43:32kid.

00:43:34After two weeks of this every day,

00:43:36I see the kid emerge from the

00:43:37stacks holding Lawn Boy by

00:43:40Jonathan Edison.

00:43:40I read the book myself and loved it.

00:43:57And I was kind of dumbfounded because it

00:44:01was not a wildly popular book.

00:44:03It wasn't on many people's radar.

00:44:05And of all the 20,000 books in the

00:44:07library, he emerges with that one.

00:44:09I said, how'd you learn about it?

00:44:11And he said, my parents sent me, my

00:44:13parents told me about it and said I

00:44:16should look for it in the library.

00:44:1824 hours later, that student's mother

00:44:23was standing in front of the board of

00:44:25education, Martha Hickson, our school

00:44:27librarian, remarked to my son as he was

00:44:30checking out the books, quote, I love

00:44:32that book, and calling me a

00:44:34pornographer, pedophile, and groomer

00:44:36of children.

00:44:37This amounts to an effort to groom our

00:44:39kids to make them more willing to

00:44:41participate in the heinous act

00:44:43described in these books.

00:44:45It grooms them to accept the

00:44:47inappropriate advances of an adult.

00:44:50My principal was in that room.

00:44:52The assistant superintendent was in that

00:44:55room, but they sat there in silence.

00:44:58And here's the pain, really painful

00:45:00part, they have maintained that silence

00:45:03for three years.

00:45:17Being a librarian, I started researching.

00:45:20I was watching Texas and Florida both

00:45:25very carefully.

00:45:29I felt like that's sort of the petri dish

00:45:31of what could be coming up here.

00:45:35This started in Lano, Texas.

00:45:39About a week later, a woman in Virginia

00:45:41saw the Lano Challenge and picked up

00:45:44some of that language.

00:45:45Both of these books include pedophilia.

00:45:50This, do not interrupt my time.

00:45:53And then, about two weeks later,

00:45:56same claim showed up at our board

00:45:57meeting, and that suggested to me

00:45:59something was afoot.

00:46:01And I said, I don't think this is

00:46:03organic.

00:46:05I don't think this is spontaneous.

00:46:07This is organized.

00:46:08Moms for Liberty are having their town hall

00:46:15here tonight on the Upper East Side.

00:46:18Welcome, New York.

00:46:19We are thrilled to be here.

00:46:21Thank you so much for joining us tonight.

00:46:24It seems like there's a lot of misconceptions

00:46:25out there about who we are and what we do.

00:46:28We were founded in 2021 by Tiffany Justice

00:46:31and I were both former school board members.

00:46:33What is Moms for Liberty?

00:46:35The New Yorker calls them the right-wing mothers

00:46:37fueling the school board wars.

00:46:38No one's going to fight for any issue

00:46:40like a parent.

00:46:41We're not in it for the money.

00:46:42There's no glory.

00:46:43We love our children, and we're willing

00:46:45to do anything to protect the future.

00:46:47What money?

00:46:48What money?

00:46:49Now, they'll tell you that their funding

00:46:51for these national conferences

00:46:53comes from selling their $15 t-shirts.

00:46:58You don't get Ron DeSantis

00:46:59to show up at your conference.

00:47:01Donald Trump to show up at your conference

00:47:03just from selling t-shirts.

00:47:06But this grassroots group

00:47:07is registered as a 501c.

00:47:09They are not required to disclose their donors.

00:47:12But we do know that their PAC

00:47:13received a $50,000 donation this year

00:47:16from Julie Fancelli,

00:47:17the largest single donor

00:47:19to the January 6th Stop the Steal rally

00:47:21that led to the Capitol insurrection.

00:47:23We asked Moms for Liberty

00:47:24who else is among their donors,

00:47:25and they did not respond

00:47:27with any specific names.

00:47:28What ideology?

00:47:29Are the children being indoctrinated into?

00:47:32I think parents' fears are realized.

00:47:35They're looking at these books

00:47:36where sexual discussions are happening

00:47:38with their children

00:47:39at younger and younger ages.

00:47:41And Tango Makes Three

00:47:42has been challenged

00:47:43in at least 32 states.

00:47:46It's about two male penguins

00:47:47who care for an abandoned baby penguin.

00:47:49The book has been labeled

00:47:50a tool for so-called grooming.

00:47:53Marie Sendak's in the night kitchen.

00:47:56They drew pants.

00:47:57You're getting to the point of

00:48:01talking about a period.

00:48:02It is sexually explicit.

00:48:05Under the new law,

00:48:06Lord of the Rings

00:48:07is considered being inappropriate.

00:48:09There's some Facebook moms group

00:48:13that said that pandas symbolized something.

00:48:17Mm-mm.

00:48:18The graphic novel

00:48:20of The Diary of Anne Frank.

00:48:24Yep, there's your nudity right there.

00:48:29And Mouse,

00:48:31which has to do with mouse nudity

00:48:34in a concentration camp.

00:48:36When they go after the books,

00:48:39what they're really going after

00:48:41is those kids

00:48:43that come into my library

00:48:44for a safe space.

00:48:46And I cannot abide that.

00:48:53Part of the ethics of our profession

00:48:55to support the First Amendment

00:48:57and to fight censorship.

00:49:01It's what I've been trained to do.

00:49:06The North Carolina-Borhees Regional High School

00:49:13District Board of Education meeting

00:49:14on Tuesday, January 30th

00:49:16is now called to border.

00:49:19If I were a younger person,

00:49:22I may have left by now.

00:49:24But I believe firmly in what's right.

00:49:28And then I also believe firmly in my students.

00:49:32If I were to say to the board

00:49:33or someone at school,

00:49:34you are a vile and disgusting C-word

00:49:37and a danger to young people,

00:49:39I could and should be

00:49:40escorted out of this building by the police.

00:49:43This is the exact language

00:49:44that has been sent to our school librarian

00:49:46by a group led by the spouse

00:49:48of someone on the board.

00:49:49If you want to get rid of

00:49:50and censor books,

00:49:52you are no different than fascist.

00:49:54For every fascist movement

00:49:56began the same exact way.

00:49:58You're here to ban books

00:50:00with gay characters.

00:50:01You might as well be here

00:50:02to start the Fourth Reich.

00:50:04Lord, you want him out.

00:50:06For girls.

00:50:08You guys cursed

00:50:09that my fucking children

00:50:09are your fucking bookmen.

00:50:11You guys cursed.

00:50:12You fucking cursed.

00:50:14Thank you, Lord.

00:50:18I made the fucking curse.

00:50:20The book itself,

00:50:37queerfully and wonderfully made,

00:50:39that's going against the scripture.

00:50:42It's fearfully and wonderfully made,

00:50:44and that's what we are.

00:50:45I could go through the whole chapter of that,

00:50:49of the Bible.

00:50:50This book is considered nonfiction,

00:50:52and it is including Christianity.

00:50:55The Bible doesn't support this,

00:50:57so that already debunks

00:50:58the nonfiction status of this book,

00:51:00so we're talking about pornography.

00:51:02I was born and raised in Holden.

00:51:05I am also trans feminine,

00:51:06and I am a queer person.

00:51:08I don't think y'all understand

00:51:10what it's like to grow up

00:51:11in an environment like this,

00:51:13where even your family members

00:51:14are constantly telling you

00:51:16that you're going to burn in hell.

00:51:18Books like this say,

00:51:20hey, you were loved.

00:51:22There is a community

00:51:23that will be there for you.

00:51:26Sorry, my anxiety is running very high,

00:51:29because I can tell

00:51:30that y'all very much

00:51:31misunderstand us.

00:51:33This is much,

00:51:34this requires,

00:51:35thank you.

00:51:50Hello, my name is Amanda Jones.

00:51:53The great thing about books

00:51:54is that we all have different ways

00:51:56that we interpret them.

00:51:59I read this book,

00:52:01and I interpret it as meaning

00:52:03a push for love and acceptance.

00:52:07It was written by pastors

00:52:09and mental health professionals

00:52:11for Christians.

00:52:13This book is not

00:52:15in the children's picture book section.

00:52:16It is in the teen nonfiction section

00:52:20where it belongs

00:52:21because it was written for teens.

00:52:23monitor your own children.

00:52:26Don't let your children read it

00:52:28if you don't want to.

00:52:29No one's forcing you to check it out.

00:52:32LGBTQ youth who report

00:52:34having at least one accepting adult

00:52:36are 40% less likely to accept suicide.

00:52:39Some kids don't have

00:52:41those adults in their life.

00:52:43I have lost over 12 students

00:52:47who were ostracized

00:52:48because they were made to feel less than

00:52:51in this parish.

00:52:53And I feel it right now,

00:52:55even though I'm not from that community,

00:52:57from the hate that's coming

00:52:59from some people in this room.

00:53:01It would be easy to move this book

00:53:03and placate a few people

00:53:04for the sake of bypassing drama.

00:53:06It would be easy.

00:53:07But sometimes doing what's easy

00:53:11is not what's right.

00:53:19The board would like to protect children

00:53:21from inappropriate material

00:53:23and would prefer to remove

00:53:24the challenged materials

00:53:25while the library processes its request.

00:53:28I'll be damned

00:53:33if we're going to lose another kid

00:53:35because of something

00:53:36our community has done

00:53:38to make them feel less.

00:53:42I've had former students

00:53:43reach out to me

00:53:44that have told me books

00:53:45have saved them.

00:53:47And then there's the kids

00:53:48that grew up and killed themselves

00:53:49because they were ostracized

00:53:52in our community

00:53:52for who they are.

00:53:55And if I was silent,

00:53:56my silence would be my compliance

00:53:59and I am not going to be complicit

00:54:01in the death of children

00:54:03or even the hurtful feelings

00:54:07or I'm not going to participate

00:54:09in that anymore.

00:54:11Because even though

00:54:12I didn't actively participate in it

00:54:14before, I was silent

00:54:16and I saw stuff.

00:54:17But I'm not going to do that anymore.

00:54:19I'm going to speak out about it.

00:54:21This is my strong-willed child

00:54:23and I thought,

00:54:24mm-mm, she's not going to lay down

00:54:26and take the yes.

00:54:43Our district was doing

00:54:44an okay job before this.

00:54:46Was it perfect?

00:54:47No.

00:54:48They were doing

00:54:48a pretty darn good job.

00:54:50And they were watching out

00:54:50for our kids

00:54:51and they were trying

00:54:52to keep their own

00:54:52personal politics

00:54:53out of the decision-making.

00:54:55But that's not

00:54:56what we're doing anymore.

00:54:57Now it's all the culture wars

00:54:59of America

00:54:59are just right smack dab

00:55:01right here

00:55:01in the middle

00:55:02of my kids' school district.

00:55:04After more than a year

00:55:06of controversy,

00:55:07Keller ISD voted

00:55:08to ban books

00:55:09about gender identity.

00:55:11I pledge allegiance

00:55:12to the taxes

00:55:14clients pay under God

00:55:16one hundred and one

00:55:18hundred and one

00:55:20hundred and one

00:55:22hundred and one

00:55:22of the kids.

00:55:23And I'm going to

00:55:24get to the next

00:55:24question.

00:55:25I'm going to get to the next

00:55:26question.

00:55:27Hi, I'm Lainey.

00:55:30I'm a mom of four kids

00:55:31in Keller ISD.

00:55:32As soon as our new

00:55:33Patriot Mobile School

00:55:34Board was elected,

00:55:35your top priority

00:55:36was to disregard

00:55:37all the parent,

00:55:38district,

00:55:38and community input.

00:55:39Since then,

00:55:40you've created

00:55:40a hateful,

00:55:41contradictory,

00:55:42nonsensical,

00:55:43and unconstitutional

00:55:44book-banning rubric.

00:55:46You are also passing

00:55:47a policy tonight

00:55:48that gives you

00:55:49the power

00:55:49to hire and fire

00:55:50every employee

00:55:51in the district

00:55:52all the way

00:55:52down to the

00:55:53cafeteria workers.

00:55:55You don't trust

00:55:55your admin.

00:55:56You don't trust

00:55:56your principals.

00:55:57You don't trust

00:55:58your teachers.

00:55:59You don't trust

00:55:59the parents.

00:56:00You're coming

00:56:01for teachers

00:56:01and librarians.

00:56:02You've made it

00:56:03clear,

00:56:03and they know it.

00:56:05We have a movement

00:56:06within America

00:56:07that has decided

00:56:09that school boards

00:56:10are now where

00:56:10they want to push

00:56:11their agenda.

00:56:12Patriot Mobile.

00:56:19They aren't just

00:56:20a wireless provider.

00:56:21They are a political

00:56:22movement.

00:56:23Up to 5% of every

00:56:25Patriot Mobile phone

00:56:26bill goes directly

00:56:27to supporting

00:56:27Patriot Mobile's

00:56:28political action

00:56:29committee.

00:56:30We need to put

00:56:30our money behind

00:56:32companies that share

00:56:33our values.

00:56:33I'm looking at Glenn

00:56:34over here from

00:56:35Patriot Mobile.

00:56:36We know that

00:56:37Patriot Mobile,

00:56:38they admitted to

00:56:38coming into our

00:56:39communities and

00:56:40interviewing people

00:56:41and finding who

00:56:42they thought would

00:56:42best represent

00:56:43their interests.

00:56:44And that's who

00:56:45they backed with

00:56:45the hundreds of

00:56:46thousands of dollars.

00:56:48It wasn't until

00:56:50we started getting

00:56:50these mailers that

00:56:52we realized what

00:56:53was happening.

00:56:55We're talking

00:56:56probably 7, 8,

00:56:579, 10 flyers.

00:56:58These people are

00:56:58getting covered with

00:57:00images of crying

00:57:01children and saying

00:57:01they've been exposed

00:57:02to porn in school

00:57:03and your kid is

00:57:04being made to feel

00:57:05guilty for being

00:57:06white.

00:57:06All of these things

00:57:07that are just

00:57:08simply untrue.

00:57:10Then we started

00:57:11sharing them online

00:57:11and then we found

00:57:12out the school

00:57:13district's

00:57:14neighboring ours

00:57:15had the exact

00:57:16same flyers paid

00:57:17for by the exact

00:57:18same pack

00:57:19but just with

00:57:20the pictures

00:57:21of the candidates

00:57:22inter-swapped

00:57:22with theirs.

00:57:24And we were like,

00:57:25oh my goodness,

00:57:26this is a large

00:57:27scale,

00:57:28coordinated effort

00:57:29to take over

00:57:30school boards

00:57:31across the state

00:57:32of Texas.

00:57:33One of the keys

00:57:33is these school

00:57:34boards, right?

00:57:35The school boards

00:57:36are the key

00:57:36that picks the

00:57:37lot.

00:57:38This was their

00:57:39blueprint and

00:57:40they succeeded.

00:57:41They backed 11

00:57:42candidates in North

00:57:43Texas, all 11

00:57:45candidates won,

00:57:46and now they hold

00:57:47a majority

00:57:48and the president,

00:57:50vice president,

00:57:51and secretary

00:57:51on all four school

00:57:52boards that they

00:57:53decided to fund.

00:57:54And they're going

00:57:55to continue to

00:57:56spread it.

00:57:56We're focused

00:57:57on school boards

00:57:58here for now,

00:57:58but our goal

00:57:59is to spread this

00:58:01as large as we

00:58:02can to other states

00:58:03and other communities

00:58:03that are quite

00:58:05frankly wanting

00:58:06what we're doing

00:58:07here in their

00:58:08communities.

00:58:08They had that

00:58:33at the school

00:58:33board meeting

00:58:34completely packed

00:58:35with people.

00:58:37I'm sure.

00:58:39Somebody told me

00:58:40this morning to go

00:58:41online and look

00:58:42at the Republican

00:58:42Club.

00:58:43They had some

00:58:44meeting, I guess,

00:58:44last week,

00:58:46and it was all

00:58:46about book banning.

00:58:48And they had

00:58:48speakers come in,

00:58:50so they got them

00:58:51all riled up and

00:58:52gave them all

00:58:53their talking points

00:58:54so that they could

00:58:54all come to this

00:58:55meeting and

00:58:56completely drown

00:58:57anybody else's

00:58:58voices out.

00:58:59That's what they

00:59:00did.

00:59:01That's what they

00:59:01do.

00:59:02Well, you

00:59:03know, a lot

00:59:04of these people

00:59:05actually make

00:59:06threats, you

00:59:07know, about

00:59:08having a gun

00:59:09and yada, yada,

00:59:10yada.

00:59:12They drive

00:59:12around in

00:59:13trucks with,

00:59:14you know,

00:59:16Confederate flags.

00:59:18Confederate flags

00:59:18and those secret

00:59:19organizations.

00:59:21They're not secret.

00:59:21Oath keepers,

00:59:22three percenters.

00:59:23Yeah, three percenters.

00:59:24Yeah, you see

00:59:25that all the time.

00:59:26I don't know.

00:59:27It's just like

00:59:28just so ate up

00:59:30with hate

00:59:31and there's not

00:59:32enough voices

00:59:33countering it.

00:59:36Of the United

00:59:36States and of

00:59:38this state.

00:59:38Of the United

00:59:39States and of

00:59:40this state.

00:59:41So help me God.

00:59:42So help me God.

00:59:43Thank you.

00:59:46I ran on

00:59:47this platform.

00:59:49The porn and

00:59:50the grooming and

00:59:51pedophiles in

00:59:51schools.

00:59:52I felt like

00:59:56it was there.

00:59:58People just

00:59:58didn't know

00:59:59or they didn't

00:59:59know where to

01:00:00look and I

01:00:01was going to

01:00:01find it.

01:00:03So that's

01:00:04what I did.

01:00:05You know,

01:00:05that's why I ran.

01:00:08And so I did

01:00:09the research.

01:00:10I was expecting

01:00:11to find something

01:00:12that would

01:00:14relate to

01:00:15what they were

01:00:16saying,

01:00:17but nothing

01:00:17even came close.

01:00:19It didn't even

01:00:20come close.

01:00:21It just became

01:00:22very apparent

01:00:23that what they

01:00:25were trying to

01:00:26tell parents and

01:00:28what was actually

01:00:29happening in our

01:00:30schools were two

01:00:30completely different

01:00:31things.

01:00:33This was just

01:00:34complete sexualization

01:00:36of the kids.

01:00:38And it's not

01:00:39stopping.

01:00:40It's not going

01:00:40backwards.

01:00:41It's moving

01:00:42forward.

01:00:43It's moving

01:00:43full steam ahead.

01:00:46Our mission on

01:00:47the Blue Shark

01:00:48show was to bring

01:00:49transparency to our

01:00:50local government.

01:00:51It pains me to say

01:00:52that GISD,

01:00:54through the inaction

01:00:55of the Board of

01:00:55Trustees and the

01:00:56upper-level

01:00:57administrators,

01:00:58are grooming

01:00:59your children.

01:01:01The aha moment

01:01:02for me was a

01:01:03conversation I had

01:01:04with one of my

01:01:05former co-hosts.

01:01:07I felt we need

01:01:08to let our

01:01:09community know

01:01:09that it's not

01:01:10in the schools.

01:01:11And he told me

01:01:13to stop talking

01:01:13to my fellow

01:01:14trustees.

01:01:15Just completely

01:01:16cut off

01:01:17communication.

01:01:17grandbury races

01:01:21for the trustees.

01:01:22We've got three

01:01:23positions that are

01:01:24up.

01:01:25If you want more

01:01:26morally sound schools

01:01:27that don't have

01:01:28satanic cartoon porn

01:01:29and jihadi sympathizer

01:01:30material in the

01:01:31library, this is a

01:01:32no-brainer.

01:01:34They wanted to flip

01:01:34the board.

01:01:35They wanted to flip

01:01:35the commissioner's

01:01:36court.

01:01:36They want to flip

01:01:36the city council.

01:01:37Every level of

01:01:38government here

01:01:39locally to get

01:01:40their candidates in.

01:01:41When you're trying

01:01:42to get people in

01:01:43every level of

01:01:44government, something

01:01:46else is going on

01:01:46behind the scenes.

01:01:49I refused to do

01:01:51their bidding.

01:01:52And I said, no,

01:01:54I'm not doing that.

01:01:55That's not right.

01:01:56Now I'm enemy

01:01:57number one with

01:01:58them.

01:01:58Surprise, surprise.

01:02:04Courtney Gore has

01:02:05been an entire and

01:02:06complete and total

01:02:07disappointment.

01:02:08Yes.

01:02:09I would say

01:02:10disappointment is a

01:02:11big word and I go

01:02:12back to that

01:02:13culture of, do you

01:02:15want to do the

01:02:15right thing and not

01:02:16be liked by

01:02:17everybody?

01:02:18I guess Courtney's

01:02:19woke.

01:02:21She woke.

01:02:23Courtney's woke?

01:02:24I guess she's

01:02:24woke now is what

01:02:25they're saying.

01:02:27Courtney?

01:02:28Yes.

01:02:30You can't say

01:02:31there's not porn in

01:02:32schools because there

01:02:33is.

01:02:35I knew I was

01:02:36going to get

01:02:36backlash, but I

01:02:38never thought it

01:02:38was going to rise to

01:02:39the level that it

01:02:40did.

01:02:40there was a June

01:02:41meeting where a

01:02:42gentleman, it was

01:02:43actually his

01:02:44grandfather, came

01:02:45with a firearm.

01:02:49Yeah, I've got

01:02:49something for you

01:02:50too.

01:02:50You just wait.

01:02:55I don't play with

01:02:55the rules anymore.

01:02:56I haven't played

01:02:57with the rules since

01:02:58Vietnam.

01:02:59And I'm not going

01:03:00to start now.

01:03:02We have profile

01:03:02sheets on Courtney

01:03:04Gore, which is not

01:03:05here.

01:03:07Profile sheets.

01:03:07We know what you do.

01:03:08we don't want you

01:03:09live.

01:03:14One of my younger

01:03:15brothers came over

01:03:16here and actually

01:03:17slept on our front

01:03:18porch that night just

01:03:20to make sure we were

01:03:21safe.

01:03:21I feel like by

01:03:23talking, that is the

01:03:24only way I'm going to

01:03:25be able to protect

01:03:25myself.

01:03:26Like, I have to be

01:03:27vocal.

01:03:28And if I'm not,

01:03:29that's when they get

01:03:31the power.

01:03:40Last day in Granbury.

01:03:43We're very excited

01:03:44to be leaving.

01:03:46This is a place Mindy

01:03:47and I both grew up

01:03:48in, came back to

01:03:51raise our kids in.

01:03:52I ran the baseball and

01:03:54softball association.

01:03:55I served on the

01:03:56school board and this

01:03:57place changed.

01:03:58People more willing to

01:04:00impose their religion on

01:04:01others, discriminate

01:04:02against others.

01:04:03We've been fighting for

01:04:05years.

01:04:06The book ban is the

01:04:08latest piece.

01:04:10I have a proven

01:04:11conservative record.

01:04:12Always considered one of

01:04:13the top conservatives in

01:04:14the house.

01:04:15Before the Krauss list,

01:04:17there had been zero

01:04:18parent requests to

01:04:20review books.

01:04:22Not even one.

01:04:23So why are we doing

01:04:26this?

01:04:27My Texas house rep,

01:04:30while I was serving on

01:04:31the school board, the

01:04:33first time he got

01:04:34elected, we met with him

01:04:35as a school board and

01:04:37said, here's the things

01:04:38we care about in public

01:04:40education.

01:04:40We'd love your support.

01:04:43He told us, yes, yes,

01:04:45absolutely.

01:04:46And when it came time to

01:04:47vote, he voted exactly

01:04:50the opposite.

01:04:52I couldn't understand why.

01:04:53You told us you were going

01:04:55to support our schools, and

01:04:57then you voted against them

01:04:58every time, and honestly

01:05:00started to badmouth our

01:05:02schools.

01:05:03And that's truly what made

01:05:04me start digging into

01:05:05money.

01:05:0760%, 70% of his money was

01:05:09coming from one source,

01:05:11which was a billionaire out

01:05:12in Cisco, Texas.

01:05:13A male on male, or a female

01:05:17on female, is against

01:05:19nature.

01:05:20So this lifestyle is a

01:05:22predatorial lifestyle, in

01:05:24that they need your children

01:05:26and straight people having

01:05:27kids to fulfill their sexual

01:05:29habits.

01:05:30They want your children.

01:05:32The cornerstones of our

01:05:33government are crumbling and

01:05:35starting to come apart.

01:05:36And it's because of the lack of

01:05:38morality, the lack of belief in

01:05:41our Heavenly Father.

01:05:44I did the thing that people

01:05:46do, right?

01:05:47When you discover something is

01:05:48you put it on Facebook, or you

01:05:50put it on Twitter, and you

01:05:51talk about it.

01:05:53Our schools are not to be used

01:05:55for personal political agendas,

01:05:58and our children are here for

01:06:00education, not religious

01:06:02indoctrination.

01:06:04Go tell your pastor, our schools

01:06:06are not your church.

01:06:08Thank you.

01:06:10I'm good at spreadsheets.

01:06:12So I built pie charts, and

01:06:14yeah, I built a site to make it

01:06:16go.

01:06:17We have Chris Tackett, who is a

01:06:20former trustee of this school

01:06:23board.

01:06:24Pie chart guy for the Texas, for

01:06:27all the state reps.

01:06:28Right, he does pie charts, right?

01:06:29Pie chart man.

01:06:30For all the conservatives to show

01:06:32where all the dark money goes.

01:06:33It was kind of an eye-opener for

01:06:35me to realize that there was this

01:06:37bigger agenda behind everything.

01:06:39Some of the people that are

01:06:41pushing this agenda believe it is

01:06:43their duty to take over

01:06:44everywhere.

01:06:45Government, public schools,

01:06:47media, every aspect of our lives.

01:06:49You're going to read about

01:06:51certain verticals or structures

01:06:53that the enemy is working on.

01:06:57Satan wants to occupy the seat of

01:07:00influence over the Supreme Court,

01:07:01over the government, over education

01:07:03with indoctrination.

01:07:05We're the force that is hindering

01:07:07the devil from doing what he wants

01:07:09to do.

01:07:10God takes what the devil meant to

01:07:13harm us, and he turns it into good.

01:07:16He blesses us with it.

01:07:19Every time we're attacked at

01:07:20Patriot Mobile, our sales just go

01:07:22through the roof.

01:07:23We increase our sales.

01:07:25And so what does increasing our

01:07:26sales mean?

01:07:27It means we can get more money back

01:07:29to organizations like Moms for Liberty.

01:07:32This is a spiritual war,

01:07:35not a political war.

01:07:39Is the agenda to gain power and money,

01:07:42or is it to make our country

01:07:44a Christian theocracy,

01:07:46or are they one and the same?

01:07:48Thank you for having me,

01:07:57all of you.

01:07:59I moved to Granbury in 2020,

01:08:01and I really hope it stands up

01:08:03to the reputation it had when I came.

01:08:07The word I have on my heart is repentance.

01:08:09Not all of us had a hand in what's

01:08:11happened here,

01:08:12but we are the ones who are present

01:08:14to solve the issues.

01:08:15The last book I read was

01:08:18600 plus pages,

01:08:19and it was a whipping

01:08:20for poor quality,

01:08:22number one,

01:08:23but also sexual content.

01:08:25And I'm sorry to point fingers,

01:08:26but we have librarians

01:08:27who are misunderstanding

01:08:29what is healthy and good

01:08:30for children.

01:08:31I think you ought to have people

01:08:32of good moral standards,

01:08:34people in the community

01:08:35that maybe even are voted on,

01:08:37pastors like Paul Duncan.

01:08:38He would never steer you wrong,

01:08:40and he'll put you in a safety zone

01:08:41with your books.

01:08:42You don't have to have

01:08:43these ultra-controversial books

01:08:45in your library.

01:08:47Hey, TikTok,

01:08:47I got a wild one for you.

01:08:49In 2018,

01:08:49I received this text

01:08:51from my mom

01:08:51after coming out

01:08:52and was effectively cut off

01:08:54from my family

01:08:54and eight younger siblings.

01:08:56I came across this video

01:08:57showing my mom

01:08:58speaking at a school board meeting

01:09:00in Texas,

01:09:00calling for the district

01:09:01to remove books,

01:09:02repent,

01:09:03and appoint a pastor

01:09:03to review and approve

01:09:05educational material.

01:09:06She even filed charges

01:09:07against librarians

01:09:08in Grand Prix, Texas.

01:09:10Literally,

01:09:10you have thousands of books,

01:09:12so what harm is it

01:09:14to let go of some of them?

01:09:15And that's all I have to say.

01:09:18And Kibbe's brown.

01:09:22Your kids do not go school here.

01:09:29No, they don't.

01:09:30You're on a political agenda.

01:09:31Everybody knows what you're doing.

01:09:32You're trying to get

01:09:34school staff arrested.

01:09:35You've already tried it.

01:09:37That's what you're doing.

01:09:37and we know that.

01:09:39That's fine with me

01:09:40if you know it.

01:09:41I'm not hiding anything.

01:09:42You notice I haven't hit a thing.

01:09:44I'm not hiding anything

01:09:45and I do have a problem

01:09:46with sexually explicit books

01:09:47in the library.

01:09:48I'm sure you do.

01:09:49You're trying to arrest librarians.

01:09:52I have nothing to say to you.

01:09:53You're trying to arrest librarians.

01:09:55Are you understanding the concept?

01:09:56You're trying to arrest librarians.

01:09:58No, I do not understand.

01:09:59You're a fascist.

01:10:00You're a fascist.

01:10:01Fascist.

01:10:02Sexually explicit books.

01:10:03Fascist.

01:10:04Fascist.

01:10:07When I moved here to San Diego,

01:10:14I got a bunch of prints.

01:10:16My siblings from a few years back,

01:10:18one of the last times

01:10:19I got to see them,

01:10:20and my partner, Kier,

01:10:23his name's Andrew.

01:10:26Growing up,

01:10:26none of my siblings,

01:10:28there's nine of us total,

01:10:30none of us have stepped foot

01:10:31in a public school.

01:10:34Every piece of printed material

01:10:36that came into our home

01:10:37was curated by my parents.

01:10:41I'm starting

01:10:42a little collection

01:10:44of books.

01:10:47It's off to a small start.

01:10:48The book that started it all,

01:10:50All Boys Aren't Blue.

01:10:53Right off the bat,

01:10:54this book is saying,

01:10:54hey, there are some heavy topics.

01:10:56Like, be aware.

01:10:58It all seems so much smaller

01:11:04and, like, depressing.

01:11:07I hope my siblings

01:11:10can make it out unscathed,

01:11:12and I'm worried

01:11:13that they're growing up

01:11:14in even more extreme circumstances,

01:11:18and I hope that they're able

01:11:19to find their own path as well.

01:11:23What my parents,

01:11:26the people that my parents

01:11:27learned from,

01:11:28are doing is so harmful,

01:11:29and they deserve

01:11:30to be put back

01:11:31in their lane.

01:11:38Hello, everyone.

01:11:39My name is Weston Brown.

01:11:40I was born and raised

01:11:41in Texas,

01:11:41and I'm grateful

01:11:42for the opportunity

01:11:43to speak here tonight.

01:11:44A few months ago,

01:11:45I saw my mom,

01:11:46Monica Brown,

01:11:47standing at this podium,

01:11:48calling for the removal

01:11:49of books

01:11:49and asking the school

01:11:50to follow the guidance

01:11:51of the religious.

01:11:53Weston Brown.

01:12:05From a young age,

01:12:06I was taught

01:12:06to give a voice

01:12:07to people

01:12:07who are disregarded,

01:12:09elevate the marginalized,

01:12:10and love my neighbor.

01:12:13Today,

01:12:14I strive to be

01:12:14the person I needed

01:12:15when I was young,

01:12:16someone who would stand up,

01:12:18speak out,

01:12:19and protect the kid

01:12:20that felt alone.

01:12:22Growing up,

01:12:23we read the Bible

01:12:23cover to cover

01:12:24from the earliest age

01:12:25I can remember.

01:12:27We repetitively read

01:12:28graphic depictions

01:12:29of sex,

01:12:30violence,

01:12:31genocide,

01:12:31sexual assault,

01:12:32and incest.

01:12:34However,

01:12:35topics related to dating,

01:12:36safe sex,

01:12:37drugs,

01:12:38alcohol,

01:12:38or sexual identity

01:12:39were deemed

01:12:40inappropriate

01:12:40or too heavy

01:12:41to discuss.

01:12:43I wouldn't have given

01:12:44anything to read

01:12:45a book with a character

01:12:46that felt the feelings

01:12:47I felt,

01:12:48ask the questions

01:12:50I couldn't ask,

01:12:51and learn the lessons

01:12:52that I needed to learn.

01:12:53again.

01:12:54It's been nearly five years

01:12:56since I came out

01:12:56to my family.

01:13:02I'm not allowed

01:13:03to join in family

01:13:04celebrations or holidays

01:13:05or be a part of my

01:13:06eight younger siblings' lives

01:13:08solely because

01:13:10I'm not straight.

01:13:12I'm here today

01:13:13to implore you

01:13:14to listen to librarians,

01:13:16educators,

01:13:17and students,

01:13:19not those speaking

01:13:20from a religious perspective

01:13:21or at the bidding

01:13:22of a political group.

01:13:25If you choose

01:13:26to marginalize difference

01:13:27and remove representation,

01:13:29you will only cause harm.

01:13:31History will remember

01:13:33your decisions

01:13:33and demand accountability.

01:13:36Show the world

01:13:37that Granberry

01:13:37will not succumb to fear.

01:13:39and publish shine brightly,

01:13:43leading the way

01:13:44for the next generation

01:13:45of Texans.

01:13:46Thank you for listening.

01:13:59Next up,

01:14:00we have Lange for the way.

01:14:01Thank you.

01:14:09And I knew that was coming

01:14:10what came tonight.

01:14:11It's no surprise.

01:14:13It's not all true.

01:14:15But it is true

01:14:16that we have said

01:14:16now in our home

01:14:17for what we expect

01:14:19in our family.

01:14:21Whether that matters

01:14:22to any of you or not.

01:14:23Just as an example,

01:14:25you know,

01:14:25in the scripture it says

01:14:26Adam knew Eve.

01:14:27That's not the same

01:14:28as saying

01:14:29he sucked his dick

01:14:30in her body.

01:14:31That's what you've got

01:14:32in your library.

01:14:33Listen,

01:14:33that's what you've got

01:14:34in your library.

01:14:35It's in your library.

01:14:36That's my mom

01:14:37who birthed me,

01:14:41who raised me

01:14:41and fed me

01:14:42and took care of me.

01:14:44Is it some sort of

01:14:45religious psychosis,

01:14:47years of messaging

01:14:49from extremist pastors

01:14:51and political leaders?

01:14:54Because when I look

01:14:55at my mom,

01:14:55I see someone

01:14:56who absolutely believes

01:14:57what she's saying.

01:14:58And I see someone

01:14:59who looks

01:14:59scared.

01:15:02Thank you so much.

01:15:03Wait,

01:15:03let me get behind you

01:15:04just in case.

01:15:05Okay.

01:15:06It's like the chances

01:15:07of getting hate crimes

01:15:07are low,

01:15:08but never zero.

01:15:10Your mother

01:15:11has been involved

01:15:12in this process.

01:15:13What was it like

01:15:14to stand here tonight

01:15:15knowing she's

01:15:16here as well?

01:15:17You know,

01:15:18in my mind

01:15:19that wasn't,

01:15:20it's interesting,

01:15:20it wasn't what was

01:15:21top of mind for me.

01:15:22I don't have a message

01:15:23for my family

01:15:24or for my mom

01:15:25or my dad specifically.

01:15:26I've brought

01:15:27and said

01:15:27everything that I

01:15:28have to say

01:15:29to them

01:15:30in many conversations

01:15:31many times over.

01:15:32And so my perspective

01:15:34tonight isn't to try

01:15:34to reach through

01:15:35to my parents.

01:15:36That's a conversation

01:15:37that they have

01:15:38the tools they need.

01:15:39They know what they

01:15:39need to do

01:15:40to build the bridge.

01:15:41But my goal,

01:15:42not my goal,

01:15:43my plea

01:15:44is for librarians,

01:15:46educators,

01:15:46students,

01:15:47and the boards

01:15:47to pay attention

01:15:49to what matters.

01:15:52Monica, do you have

01:15:54any comments?

01:15:54This is Monica Brown.

01:15:55I'm just kidding.

01:15:56Monica.

01:15:57I think as librarians,

01:16:12we recognize

01:16:14that we're

01:16:14on a continuum.

01:16:16But the swing

01:16:17between these

01:16:19polarizing views

01:16:21are having

01:16:23catastrophic effects

01:16:24on our social

01:16:25structures

01:16:25and our communities.

01:16:26We are on the

01:16:29precipice of some

01:16:30very, very bad

01:16:32things happening

01:16:32in this country.

01:16:34I just hope and pray

01:16:35that people are waking

01:16:36up.

01:16:37It's gone way

01:16:38beyond the cross list,

01:16:39honey.

01:16:40Way beyond

01:16:41on the cross list.

01:16:42We are going

01:16:43to take back

01:16:44our schools.

01:16:46This is what I will

01:16:46do to the

01:16:47growing books

01:16:47when I become

01:16:48Secretary of State.

01:16:53Being offended

01:16:53is the basis

01:16:54for House Bill 666.

01:16:56They feel

01:16:56that this legislation

01:16:57could be used

01:16:58to threaten schools

01:16:59to remove books

01:17:00or face arrest

01:17:01just because someone

01:17:02does not like a book.

01:17:05Is it so hurtful

01:17:07to maybe nurture morality?

01:17:09Is that so awful

01:17:09to do that?

01:17:10I think that there

01:17:11is going to come

01:17:12a time in some

01:17:13of these books

01:17:13where it crosses

01:17:14a criminal line.

01:17:16It's called

01:17:16Contributing to the

01:17:17Delinquency of a Minor.

01:17:26I had been home

01:17:29for three days

01:17:30and in that last day

01:17:34I had people calling me

01:17:37left and right.

01:17:37Are you okay?

01:17:38What's going on?

01:17:39I was like,

01:17:40what are you talking about?

01:17:47A Hood County constable

01:17:48attempted to bring

01:17:49felony charges

01:17:50against three librarians

01:17:52for providing students

01:17:53with library books

01:17:55the constable deemed obscene.

01:17:57Now, I'm not one

01:18:00of those crazy

01:18:00overthrow-the-government

01:18:02anarchist types.

01:18:04But it is a legitimate

01:18:05question to ask.

01:18:08What do you do

01:18:09when your government

01:18:10doesn't follow

01:18:11its own rules?

01:18:17How does a sheriff

01:18:19arrest someone

01:18:19for violating

01:18:20your constitutional rights?

01:18:22I had some

01:18:23complainants come in

01:18:24on Friday

01:18:25and talked about

01:18:25making a report

01:18:26about the books.

01:18:29Do you know

01:18:30if they use

01:18:31student aides

01:18:32in the libraries?

01:18:33Yes.

01:18:34I was told

01:18:35that my library aides

01:18:37were going to be pulled

01:18:38because for every

01:18:41piece of pornography

01:18:43that was found

01:18:44in the library,

01:18:45I would be served

01:18:46with one felony

01:18:47for every student.

01:18:50Constable London,

01:18:51he was trying

01:18:52to tell the librarians

01:18:53that if minors,

01:18:54had actually put

01:18:56those books

01:18:57on the shelves,

01:18:58then it was then

01:18:59elevated to a felony.

01:19:02I'm doing a criminal

01:19:03investigation

01:19:03into some of your staff.

01:19:05Obviously,

01:19:06there's been an

01:19:06allegation of books

01:19:08that were in conflict

01:19:10of the penal code

01:19:11in the library.

01:19:12Essentially,

01:19:13the librarians

01:19:13are my suspects.

01:19:15If they're the ones

01:19:16that are choosing books

01:19:17and putting them in there,

01:19:18you know,

01:19:19they're the ones

01:19:19that are carrying

01:19:20the criminal liability.

01:19:21constable London

01:19:23was able to get

01:19:24the names

01:19:25of the minors

01:19:26that checked

01:19:27out those books.

01:19:29To me,

01:19:30as a parent,

01:19:31that is extremely

01:19:32concerning.

01:19:36So I got to tell

01:19:37those poor kids

01:19:38that they were not

01:19:39going to be allowed

01:19:40to be librarians

01:19:41because people are afraid

01:19:42that there's pornography

01:19:42in the library.

01:19:44I'm definitely

01:19:45on that list.

01:19:45I was in the library

01:19:46literally every single

01:19:48day of my senior year.

01:19:49that is really,

01:19:51really scary.

01:19:53And that is

01:19:56information that

01:19:57can be used

01:19:57in such a evil way.

01:20:02If the student

01:20:02was underage,

01:20:04was he going to

01:20:05go after the parents?

01:20:06For the kids

01:20:07checking out pornography,

01:20:08was he going to

01:20:09go after other students

01:20:10who may have been

01:20:1118 at the time?

01:20:15As someone who's

01:20:16not had anything

01:20:17to do with

01:20:18breaking the law

01:20:19and that,

01:20:20I mean,

01:20:20maybe a speeding ticket,

01:20:22but who would have

01:20:23thought child pornography?

01:20:26I fear that we are

01:20:27at the point now

01:20:28where we're going to

01:20:30see teachers

01:20:31in handcuffs.

01:20:31There are forces

01:20:40that want to

01:20:41manipulate

01:20:42and to control

01:20:44the dissemination

01:20:45of information.

01:20:47Some of us

01:20:49feel that depth

01:20:51of responsibility

01:20:52to help

01:20:54our communities

01:20:54navigate.

01:20:57That's why we're here.

01:20:58Librarians are

01:20:59the firewall.

01:20:59I happened to

01:21:10come in contact

01:21:11last year

01:21:12with our state

01:21:13senator, Andrews

01:21:14Wicker,

01:21:14who, after hearing

01:21:15my story,

01:21:16put forth

01:21:17the New Jersey

01:21:17Freedom to Read Act.

01:21:23I went down

01:21:24to Trenton

01:21:24to testify

01:21:25in front of

01:21:26the Education Committee

01:21:27in favor of the bill.

01:21:29There is a proposed

01:21:30committee substitute

01:21:31which establishes

01:21:32requirements for

01:21:33library material

01:21:34in public school libraries

01:21:35and establishes

01:21:37protections for

01:21:38school library

01:21:38staff members

01:21:39and librarians.

01:21:41Being, you know,

01:21:42your vast experience

01:21:43over the years

01:21:44in your role,

01:21:45do you see a distinction

01:21:46between book banning

01:21:47and restricting

01:21:48access to pornography

01:21:49for minors?

01:21:50In my professional role,

01:21:51there is no

01:21:52pornography

01:21:52for minors

01:21:53in a school library

01:21:54so there is no

01:21:55need to restrict it.

01:21:58But restrictions

01:21:58are, however,

01:22:00a form of censorship.

01:22:01Your personal opinion

01:22:02about obscenity

01:22:03does not make it so.

01:22:05Thank you for sharing.

01:22:07I believe a penis

01:22:08is inappropriate

01:22:08for fifth grade,

01:22:09but thank you.

01:22:10We can talk offline.

01:22:11Thank you.

01:22:12Had I been permitted

01:22:13to speak further,

01:22:15I would have reminded

01:22:16her that

01:22:16fifth graders

01:22:17have penises.

01:22:28A county

01:22:29in central Texas

01:22:30will consider

01:22:31shutting down

01:22:31its entire

01:22:32public library system

01:22:34because a federal judge

01:22:35ordered it

01:22:36to return banned books.

01:22:37This dispute

01:22:38ultimately led

01:22:39to a special meeting

01:22:40in commissioner's court.

01:22:42I am in favor

01:22:44of closing

01:22:44the libraries

01:22:45temporarily

01:22:46until we find

01:22:47a solution

01:22:48to the pornographic

01:22:49filth we do have.

01:22:50How do we think

01:22:51it's okay that

01:22:52the librarians

01:22:53would actually

01:22:54facilitate that

01:22:55and deal that

01:22:56like a drug dealer

01:22:57to our kids?

01:22:59Now they're becoming

01:23:00porn dealers?

01:23:01Is that what

01:23:02our librarians

01:23:03have to become?

01:23:05My name is

01:23:06Suzette Baker.

01:23:07I'm the former

01:23:08head librarian

01:23:09for Kingsland, Texas.

01:23:11I'm also

01:23:11a military veteran.

01:23:13The books

01:23:14that are in the library

01:23:15are not

01:23:16pornographic.

01:23:18None of them are.

01:23:19I would like to know

01:23:20how the history

01:23:21of the KKK

01:23:22is pornographic.

01:23:24How to be an

01:23:25anti-racist.

01:23:26How is that

01:23:27pornographic?

01:23:28It's not.

01:23:30This is about

01:23:31taking away

01:23:32rights.

01:23:34Keep the libraries

01:23:35open.

01:23:36Keep the information

01:23:38available

01:23:39to all

01:23:40equally.

01:23:41This is not

01:23:43a communist nation.

01:23:45You do not

01:23:45get to pick

01:23:46our reading

01:23:46material.

01:23:48It is ours.

01:23:50So with that,

01:23:51I take a motion.

01:23:53I'll make a motion

01:23:54on agenda number

01:23:55one to remove

01:23:57the agenda.

01:23:58I'll second.

01:23:59The library

01:24:00will remain open.

01:24:01We will try this

01:24:02in the courts,

01:24:03not through social

01:24:03media or through

01:24:05news media.

01:24:06libraries in

01:24:07Atlanta will

01:24:08stay open

01:24:09after a

01:24:10passion-filled

01:24:11afternoon.

01:24:15Come here.

01:24:16Thank you.

01:24:17That would be

01:24:18embarrassing.

01:24:19We can't get you

01:24:20to change, brother.

01:24:21It's good to know

01:24:22we're not alone.

01:24:23Thank you.

01:24:24Girl.

01:24:25Hi.

01:24:26How are you?

01:24:35I'm proud of you.

01:24:38I forgot my

01:24:39freedom shirt

01:24:39at home.

01:24:41Can you take a

01:24:41picture of me

01:24:41beside it?

01:24:42I couldn't be

01:24:51more delighted

01:24:51to introduce

01:24:52Amanda Jones

01:24:53to you,

01:24:53author of

01:24:54That Librarian,

01:24:55the memoir,

01:24:56pop manifesto.

01:24:58No one should

01:24:58have to endure

01:24:59everything that

01:25:00Amanda's had to

01:25:01endure,

01:25:01and I fear

01:25:02that other people

01:25:03in this room

01:25:04may have had

01:25:05similar experiences.

01:25:06We are so

01:25:07grateful for all

01:25:08you do on the

01:25:09front lines.

01:25:14How can you

01:25:15stay?

01:25:17Oh, stay in my

01:25:18town?

01:25:18Yeah.

01:25:18Oh, it's my town.

01:25:20They can all go to

01:25:20hell.

01:25:22You're my hero.

01:25:28You know that,

01:25:28right?

01:25:29Thank you.

01:25:30You're absolutely

01:25:30my hero.

01:25:33You definitely are.

01:25:48I don't know

01:25:49what's going to

01:25:50happen next.

01:25:50I cannot imagine

01:25:52us being on a

01:25:54cliff that's

01:25:55just too much.

01:26:00But I don't know,

01:26:01maybe we are,

01:26:02and we've gone

01:26:03over.

01:26:09Our stories have

01:26:10power.

01:26:12I can't stay

01:26:14anonymous.

01:26:15I can't stay in

01:26:16the shadows anymore.

01:26:24I can't let them

01:26:26keep my story in

01:26:26the dark.

01:26:28I won't be

01:26:29censored.

01:26:30Just like we can't

01:26:31let them keep

01:26:31censoring the

01:26:33stories in our

01:26:33books.

01:26:37What I do know

01:26:38is that our story

01:26:40is still being

01:26:41written.

01:26:43But now it's

01:26:44everyone's story.

01:27:14I can't

01:27:15say it's

01:27:16all over.

01:27:18I can't

01:27:18let them

01:27:19do.

01:27:30I can't

01:27:30see it.

01:27:30I can't

01:27:31see it.

01:27:32I can't

01:27:32see it.

01:27:33I can't

01:27:35see it.

01:27:38Ooh.

01:27:39Amém.

01:28:09Amém.

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