Banned Together

As a high school librarian I'm aware of what's happening in our country regarding books being banned and challenged. But the vast majority of Americans have no idea about the storm that is brewing between the 1st Amendment and far-right groups like Moms for Liberty.

It's so depressing to read the news each day and see that yet another state has banned books such as Fahrenheit 451 or George Orwell's 1984. They are passing laws that not only can't the books be taught in the schools, but that students can't even be in possession of the books while on school property.

Watching the teens in Banned Together will give you hope for the future.

Please watch this powerful and engaging documentary!

Sometimes it takes youth, not yet jaded, not so beaten down, to stand up for what is so obviously right... to call the fanatical, un-American book banning what it is, and to actually do something about it. As an adult battling for the rights of parents, students and teachers against the faux-"parental rights", astroturf groups, it's often exhausting to face the same nonsense arguments again and again. These kids show the power of community, of supporting and encouraging one another, and the power of hope. The film does a great job of showing the scope of the issue -- talking to authors, educators, even letting the censors speak for themselves.

To say this film triumphs in highlighting local issues representative of a national crisis is an understatement. Witnessing three teenage women from different school districts in Beaufort County, SC come together to confront their local school boards, the state, and national forums with such intelligence, grace, and aplomb is breathtaking. Their high school efforts would seem nothing short of miraculous were it not for their keen and astonishingly mature awareness of the social, educational, and legal implications of book banning. "Banned Together" beautifully guides us through their journey, illustrating how these young women galvanized other students and the community through their unwavering commitment and hard work to protect intellectual freedom, to advocate for teachers, librarians and education as a whole, as 97 books were removed from their school shelves. The fact that this film was produced and filmed well before the current dismantling of public education and outright ignoring of truth is telling, serving as an unfortunate prediction that highlights a dangerous pattern emerging and calls for immediate attention to a much broader societal issue. Don't miss this - it's spellbinding.

Banned Together is an excellent film documenting the challenges faced by students, community members, and librarians as censorship in the US increases.

No community is immune to book challenges and bans. It is happening everywhere. The antidote to the fear based tactics used to censor the right to read is education. Each of us has a responsibility to be prepared to defend the freedom to read. Each of us deserves to be able to read books where we can see ourselves and our experiences represented. The attack on books disproportionately affects BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ communities - the very same communities that need representation in these trying times.

This film provides necessary knowledge as well as a good dose of hope. It is heartening to know that people from all walks of life are standing up for the freedom to read. I hope that you will watch this film and that it will spark conversations in your circles about the importance of reading and how crucial it is we protect the right to read.

In this moment of political upheaval by a radical minority, we witness 3 young women who will not accept the destruction of books and the core of their education.

Books inform, books can change lives, and books liberate our minds. These young women inspire and create a movement for all of us to join.

Where are young people supposed to turn when counselors are in short supply, libraries are being censored and adults are commanding the floor with nonsensical, inaccurate information? If we don't all speak up now to stop this, there will be no cause for us to defend. THIS is something we can all do now.