1 00:00:02,000 --> 00:00:07,000 Downloaded from YTS.BZ 2 00:00:08,000 --> 00:00:13,000 Official YIFY movies site: YTS.BZ 3 00:00:11,678 --> 00:00:14,264 (gentle music) 4 00:00:40,123 --> 00:00:43,293 (gentle music swells) 5 00:00:44,961 --> 00:00:48,339 (gentle music continues) 6 00:00:54,971 --> 00:00:58,099 - I never imagined what's happening right now 7 00:00:58,183 --> 00:00:59,768 could ever happen. 8 00:01:00,977 --> 00:01:05,190 It didn't dawn on us that we would come under attack. 9 00:01:05,398 --> 00:01:07,525 (gentle music) 10 00:01:07,525 --> 00:01:09,277 - [Narrator] Do you like people? 11 00:01:09,694 --> 00:01:12,864 Have you a real love of books and learning? 12 00:01:14,991 --> 00:01:18,244 You may well consider the vocation of a librarian. 13 00:01:21,164 --> 00:01:23,875 [Anonymous Librarian 1] We just never imagined 14 00:01:23,875 --> 00:01:25,627 we would be in the forefront. 15 00:01:26,836 --> 00:01:29,714 We're not supposed to necessarily be seen and felt. 16 00:01:31,508 --> 00:01:35,345 We're stewards of the space, stewards of the resources, 17 00:01:36,221 --> 00:01:37,806 we're the stewards for the people. 18 00:01:38,306 --> 00:01:40,892 (gentle music) 19 00:01:41,559 --> 00:01:43,895 Now I think we've moved into a vanguard. 20 00:01:46,231 --> 00:01:48,691 We have to be out in front telling the story. 21 00:01:48,733 --> 00:01:50,151 It's about us. 22 00:01:51,027 --> 00:01:56,032 (gentle music) (video whirring) 23 00:02:38,366 --> 00:02:39,701 (music fading) 24 00:02:39,951 --> 00:02:42,704 (birds chirping) 25 00:02:45,665 --> 00:02:47,292 - [News Anchor] Texas republicans are launching 26 00:02:47,292 --> 00:02:49,586 an investigation into what types of books 27 00:02:49,586 --> 00:02:51,504 school districts have, specifically ones 28 00:02:51,504 --> 00:02:53,506 that pertain to race and sexuality. 29 00:02:53,590 --> 00:02:55,800 - [Reporter] In a letter to the Texas Education Agency, 30 00:02:55,800 --> 00:02:57,802 lawmakers pointed to Texas districts 31 00:02:57,802 --> 00:03:00,597 that recently removed books from classrooms 32 00:03:00,597 --> 00:03:02,015 after parent complaints. 33 00:03:02,098 --> 00:03:03,683 - [News Reporter] Republican State Representative, 34 00:03:03,683 --> 00:03:05,185 Matt Krause of Fort Worth, 35 00:03:05,185 --> 00:03:07,937 sent this list of 850 books 36 00:03:07,937 --> 00:03:09,898 to a number of public school districts. 37 00:03:10,732 --> 00:03:11,900 There is no information on 38 00:03:11,900 --> 00:03:15,236 who helped Representative Krause compile the list. 39 00:03:17,155 --> 00:03:22,076 - We were right there in the crosshairs of this rising call. 40 00:03:22,243 --> 00:03:26,372 So we felt like everything that we did was being watched. 41 00:03:27,498 --> 00:03:30,001 (tense music) 42 00:03:45,642 --> 00:03:48,770 [Carolyn] It's not just 850 books which we've all fixated on, 43 00:03:48,937 --> 00:03:51,022 he says, "And any other books." 44 00:03:52,232 --> 00:03:56,152 I’m just immediately angry, because it's so obvious 45 00:03:56,152 --> 00:04:00,990 that he is targeting LGBTQ titles, and authors of color, 46 00:04:00,990 --> 00:04:04,619 and books about race, and books about sex education. 47 00:04:05,870 --> 00:04:08,039 He is asking districts to remove these 48 00:04:08,039 --> 00:04:11,668 and any other books that might embarrass 49 00:04:11,668 --> 00:04:15,838 or shame someone due to sex or race. 50 00:04:16,673 --> 00:04:21,928 - What struck me was, one, there was a list of 850 books. 51 00:04:23,096 --> 00:04:26,057 He wanted to know if school districts had them, 52 00:04:26,307 --> 00:04:29,269 how much money had been spent on them. 53 00:04:29,602 --> 00:04:30,687 - [News Reporter] The list includes titles 54 00:04:30,687 --> 00:04:32,814 like a book on the history of the KKK 55 00:04:32,814 --> 00:04:35,358 and another about desegregation in schools. 56 00:04:35,483 --> 00:04:37,318 There are also books about gender identity, 57 00:04:37,318 --> 00:04:41,030 the LGBTQ+ community, and the history of Roe v. Wade. 58 00:04:42,240 --> 00:04:44,033 - I didn't even think, you know, 59 00:04:44,033 --> 00:04:46,160 most school districts would entertain this. 60 00:04:46,369 --> 00:04:50,290 - I remember looking at it thinking, (sighs) 61 00:04:50,290 --> 00:04:51,624 "They're singling us out again." 62 00:04:52,709 --> 00:04:55,295 - [Carolyn] A couple days later, our governor doubled down 63 00:04:55,295 --> 00:04:59,299 and sent a letter to the Texas Association of School Boards 64 00:04:59,757 --> 00:05:01,134 asking them to do something 65 00:05:01,134 --> 00:05:03,594 about pornography in our libraries. 66 00:05:05,513 --> 00:05:07,682 - I'm calling for the immediate removal 67 00:05:07,974 --> 00:05:10,727 of this very graphic pornographic material 68 00:05:10,727 --> 00:05:12,729 from our libraries and our schools, 69 00:05:12,895 --> 00:05:14,814 and want to establish standards 70 00:05:14,814 --> 00:05:16,649 so that parents have the assurance 71 00:05:16,649 --> 00:05:18,943 that their children will not be exposed to it. 72 00:05:20,361 --> 00:05:23,489 - [Anonymous Librarian 1] I remember seeing Governor Abbott's letter, 73 00:05:23,990 --> 00:05:27,035 and my district was mentioned specifically. 74 00:05:27,702 --> 00:05:32,165 That was the first moment that I realized school librarians 75 00:05:32,165 --> 00:05:36,294 could be criminalized for selecting books 76 00:05:36,294 --> 00:05:38,296 and making them available on the shelf. 77 00:05:38,671 --> 00:05:41,507 (old-timey music) 78 00:05:47,305 --> 00:05:49,557 - All those books, Ulysses, 79 00:05:50,475 --> 00:05:53,144 I wonder what they say in all those books. 80 00:05:53,644 --> 00:05:56,856 - [Nancy] Politicians are playing a very dangerous game 81 00:05:57,357 --> 00:06:01,861 when they try to make school libraries battlegrounds 82 00:06:01,861 --> 00:06:03,696 for their political war, 83 00:06:03,988 --> 00:06:07,492 because the only people that that is going to hurt 84 00:06:07,950 --> 00:06:09,077 are our kids. 85 00:06:14,665 --> 00:06:19,295 [Nancy] This space, these resources are supposed to be 86 00:06:19,629 --> 00:06:23,049 this magical entry point to the world, 87 00:06:23,049 --> 00:06:25,468 to stories, to ideas. 88 00:06:27,929 --> 00:06:30,390 - There it is, see it? 89 00:06:31,474 --> 00:06:33,393 Something they're saying in there. 90 00:06:33,976 --> 00:06:35,311 - Where, Lionel? 91 00:06:35,895 --> 00:06:36,813 - There's an A. 92 00:06:37,230 --> 00:06:39,357 Yep, that's an A right there. 93 00:06:39,982 --> 00:06:41,192 [Lionel] I sure would like to know 94 00:06:41,192 --> 00:06:43,319 what they're saying in there, though. 95 00:06:43,945 --> 00:06:45,696 Every letter's different. 96 00:06:46,364 --> 00:06:50,034 (gentle instrumental music) 97 00:07:07,427 --> 00:07:08,719 - [Interviewer] Well, ladies and gentlemen, here we are 98 00:07:08,803 --> 00:07:10,388 at Granbury High School. 99 00:07:10,513 --> 00:07:11,639 - You know, it's always exciting, 100 00:07:11,639 --> 00:07:14,767 the first day of school, kids are dressed up, 101 00:07:14,767 --> 00:07:18,187 parents are excited, especially new moms and dads 102 00:07:18,354 --> 00:07:19,564 - Yeah. - Taking that walk 103 00:07:19,564 --> 00:07:21,399 for the first time with those five year olds 104 00:07:21,399 --> 00:07:23,860 into kindergarten, it's a great feeling. 105 00:07:25,445 --> 00:07:27,321 (keys clacking) 106 00:07:27,905 --> 00:07:29,657 (keys clacking) 107 00:07:34,495 --> 00:07:34,745 (beep) 108 00:07:49,886 --> 00:07:51,471 [Anonymous Librarian 2] We were called into a meeting 109 00:07:51,804 --> 00:07:55,224 and told anything that is "sexually explicit" 110 00:07:55,224 --> 00:07:57,310 that could meet the "penal code," 111 00:07:57,310 --> 00:08:00,396 you are responsible for in your library. 112 00:08:22,585 --> 00:08:25,338 [Anonymous Librarian 2] And I piped up, I said, "Just the Krause list?" 113 00:08:25,796 --> 00:08:28,090 and got the evil eye. 114 00:08:46,526 --> 00:08:48,069 [Anonymous Librarian 2] We spent the rest of the afternoon 115 00:08:48,069 --> 00:08:49,904 in that meeting going through our catalogs 116 00:08:49,904 --> 00:08:51,113 and trying to figure out what we have 117 00:08:51,113 --> 00:08:52,532 and what we don't have. 118 00:08:52,532 --> 00:08:55,034 - I was sitting in the library, reading, 119 00:08:55,034 --> 00:08:57,411 and these men came in with this big cart, 120 00:08:57,411 --> 00:08:58,788 and they went up to the librarians 121 00:08:58,788 --> 00:09:00,373 and they started saying, "Where are the books? 122 00:09:00,373 --> 00:09:02,250 We need to get these things out of here." 123 00:09:02,583 --> 00:09:05,378 [Anonymous Librarian 2] We were just told, "Get rid of 'em. 124 00:09:05,378 --> 00:09:06,420 Get rid of 'em, deal with it. 125 00:09:06,420 --> 00:09:07,380 Get rid of 'em." 126 00:09:08,130 --> 00:09:10,466 Getting 'em off the shelves, putting 'em on carts, 127 00:09:10,466 --> 00:09:12,843 putting 'em on whenever, going through books 128 00:09:13,135 --> 00:09:14,929 and just chucking them. 129 00:09:15,179 --> 00:09:19,642 They had no room downtown, the offices were full of books. 130 00:09:20,059 --> 00:09:22,979 The high school was full of books. 131 00:09:23,980 --> 00:09:27,149 When you have to go through probably 10,000 books, 132 00:09:27,149 --> 00:09:28,234 what are you gonna do? 133 00:09:29,151 --> 00:09:31,779 To me as a librarian, that was trauma. 134 00:09:32,905 --> 00:09:35,157 - I went to the campus of a librarian 135 00:09:35,157 --> 00:09:39,537 I particularly feared for, and she took me into a closet. 136 00:09:41,289 --> 00:09:42,999 Was very careful to let me know, 137 00:09:43,082 --> 00:09:45,501 "What I'm about to show you is behind three locks, 138 00:09:45,501 --> 00:09:47,128 so I feel like it's safe." 139 00:09:48,421 --> 00:09:49,922 The librarian unlocks each of those, 140 00:09:49,922 --> 00:09:52,258 when we get to the cabinets, we open the cabinets, 141 00:09:52,717 --> 00:09:56,721 it's shelves and shelves of books. 142 00:09:57,847 --> 00:09:59,307 Harmless books. 143 00:09:59,932 --> 00:10:02,768 I've just started putting them on the carts and said, "No." 144 00:10:03,686 --> 00:10:07,231 Every book that was on that shelf felt like a student 145 00:10:07,231 --> 00:10:08,107 that we were saying, 146 00:10:08,107 --> 00:10:10,401 "We've gotta put you behind three locks. 147 00:10:11,694 --> 00:10:13,904 We've gotta hide you back here in the dark." 148 00:10:15,448 --> 00:10:17,241 (gavel banging) 149 00:10:17,950 --> 00:10:20,494 - Mr. Reed Harris, you wrote a book. 150 00:10:20,661 --> 00:10:22,413 And at the time you wrote this book, 151 00:10:22,496 --> 00:10:24,957 did you feel that marriage 152 00:10:24,957 --> 00:10:27,335 should be cast out of our civilization 153 00:10:27,376 --> 00:10:30,963 as antiquated and stupid religious phenomenon? 154 00:10:31,255 --> 00:10:32,256 -You put an implication on it 155 00:10:32,256 --> 00:10:34,800 and you feature this particular point out of a book, 156 00:10:34,800 --> 00:10:36,719 which, of course, is quite out of context, 157 00:10:36,719 --> 00:10:40,222 does not give a proper impression of the book as a whole, 158 00:10:40,222 --> 00:10:42,475 the American public doesn't get an honest impression 159 00:10:42,475 --> 00:10:43,601 of even that book. 160 00:10:43,601 --> 00:10:45,978 - Well, then, let's continue to read your old writing. 161 00:10:46,270 --> 00:10:48,564 [Anonymous Librarian 1] If we would go back in history 162 00:10:48,814 --> 00:10:51,984 to McCarthyism, it felt like that happened to them, 163 00:10:52,109 --> 00:10:54,528 it wouldn't happen to us, it wouldn't happen now. 164 00:10:55,571 --> 00:10:57,907 - And our hearts swell with pride 165 00:10:57,907 --> 00:11:00,368 because those who went before you worked 166 00:11:01,369 --> 00:11:03,537 to give to us today, standing here, 167 00:11:04,622 --> 00:11:05,581 this pride. 168 00:11:05,956 --> 00:11:07,917 Don't join the book burners, 169 00:11:08,125 --> 00:11:10,169 don't think you're going to conceal faults 170 00:11:10,294 --> 00:11:13,172 by concealing evidence that they ever existed. 171 00:11:14,590 --> 00:11:17,593 Don't be afraid to go in your library and read every book. 172 00:11:19,970 --> 00:11:22,139 [Anonymous Librarian 1] We do have a code of ethics 173 00:11:23,307 --> 00:11:24,850 around intellectual freedom, 174 00:11:26,102 --> 00:11:28,979 around privacy, around representation 175 00:11:28,979 --> 00:11:31,107 and access to information, 176 00:11:31,482 --> 00:11:35,111 and a diversity of perspectives and issues. 177 00:11:35,111 --> 00:11:37,488 Those are all part of our code. 178 00:11:37,655 --> 00:11:39,573 - I couldn't remove a book 179 00:11:39,699 --> 00:11:42,118 because it has ideas we don't like. 180 00:11:42,118 --> 00:11:45,079 - Can't we look at this from a practical point of view? 181 00:11:45,496 --> 00:11:48,165 Take my word for it, it's not unreasonable 182 00:11:48,249 --> 00:11:51,085 to ask you to take out just this one book. 183 00:11:53,045 --> 00:11:54,964 [Anonymous Librarian 1] If you can control the library, 184 00:11:54,964 --> 00:11:56,841 you can control the community. 185 00:11:57,216 --> 00:11:59,593 'Cause if you can control the flow of information, 186 00:11:59,593 --> 00:12:01,929 if you can control the ideas, you've got it. 187 00:12:01,929 --> 00:12:03,556 You've got everything. 188 00:12:03,973 --> 00:12:06,726 Of course you are coming after school librarians first. 189 00:12:07,852 --> 00:12:09,395 Of course you are. 190 00:12:09,395 --> 00:12:12,314 (unsettling music) 191 00:12:14,775 --> 00:12:16,444 - [News Reporter] 192 00:12:22,450 --> 00:12:25,453 who says she lost her job because of it. 193 00:12:25,453 --> 00:12:28,914 (quiet bright music) 194 00:12:28,914 --> 00:12:30,458 - [Suzette] That was my office. 195 00:12:33,544 --> 00:12:34,420 Where is it? 196 00:12:34,879 --> 00:12:37,965 (quiet bright music) 197 00:12:40,050 --> 00:12:42,595 These are two books that I was asked to be removed, 198 00:12:42,595 --> 00:12:44,013 and I would not remove them. 199 00:12:45,598 --> 00:12:48,184 No, they asked us to put these behind the counter 200 00:12:48,184 --> 00:12:49,935 so that they weren't available 201 00:12:49,935 --> 00:12:52,563 unless you knew they were here. 202 00:12:56,650 --> 00:12:59,069 Now they've separated all of the pluses 203 00:12:59,069 --> 00:13:02,615 from the regular books, the LGBTQ books. 204 00:13:03,324 --> 00:13:04,867 They were all integrated before, 205 00:13:04,867 --> 00:13:06,660 but now they've separated them. 206 00:13:06,952 --> 00:13:09,205 But also we went out of our way 207 00:13:09,205 --> 00:13:12,833 to get Christian books just for this group 208 00:13:12,833 --> 00:13:14,168 when they started making problems. 209 00:13:14,168 --> 00:13:17,046 So we got two series down here just so that their children 210 00:13:17,046 --> 00:13:19,340 who were more Christian based could have their books too. 211 00:13:19,799 --> 00:13:21,717 I have to show you our children's library. 212 00:13:22,176 --> 00:13:24,595 You know, that's where our porn lives. (chuckles) 213 00:13:28,557 --> 00:13:30,976 "A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo", have you seen that one? 214 00:13:31,227 --> 00:13:33,354 It's a story about a bunny rabbit, 215 00:13:33,354 --> 00:13:36,273 he meets another male bunny, 216 00:13:37,358 --> 00:13:39,652 so the bunnies end up getting married. 217 00:13:41,070 --> 00:13:42,488 They don't know that's here. 218 00:13:43,447 --> 00:13:44,490 [Crew Member] 219 00:13:45,241 --> 00:13:47,284 - Because they're just looking on their list. 220 00:13:47,910 --> 00:13:51,163 So yes, there are books here that they may not like, 221 00:13:51,163 --> 00:13:53,040 but they're here. 222 00:13:57,294 --> 00:14:00,256 This is the actual rules of the Llano County Library. 223 00:14:00,256 --> 00:14:03,384 "In no case should any book be excluded because of race, 224 00:14:03,384 --> 00:14:05,010 or nationality, or the political, 225 00:14:05,010 --> 00:14:06,345 or religious views of the writer." 226 00:14:06,512 --> 00:14:08,931 I followed these rules and I got fired for it. 227 00:14:15,062 --> 00:14:18,274 That's me when I was in the US Army. 228 00:14:20,276 --> 00:14:23,737 When we take our oath to protect the country, 229 00:14:23,737 --> 00:14:25,197 it doesn't stop there. 230 00:14:26,240 --> 00:14:29,076 You protect the constitution of the United States 231 00:14:29,076 --> 00:14:34,081 from attacks both external and internal. 232 00:14:36,959 --> 00:14:38,502 Did you know this book existed? 233 00:14:39,670 --> 00:14:44,675 Everybody's afraid to say what these people are acting like, 234 00:14:45,092 --> 00:14:48,929 but if you read history, you know what they are acting like. 235 00:14:51,473 --> 00:14:55,019 It says, "No to decadence and moral corruption. 236 00:14:55,019 --> 00:14:58,606 Yes to decency and morality in family and state. 237 00:14:59,940 --> 00:15:02,067 You do well to commit to the flames 238 00:15:02,067 --> 00:15:03,861 the evil spirit of the past. 239 00:15:04,069 --> 00:15:07,406 This is a strong, great, and symbolic deed." 240 00:15:07,740 --> 00:15:23,422 (Goebbels speaking German) 241 00:15:26,216 --> 00:15:28,260 - [Suzette] A lot of the books that he burned 242 00:15:28,260 --> 00:15:32,806 were not just the Jewish authors, they were the LGBTQ+, 243 00:15:33,182 --> 00:15:36,560 they were those authors that they burned. 244 00:15:37,269 --> 00:15:40,105 (heartfelt music) 245 00:15:43,609 --> 00:15:44,818 - [MAN 1] Start throwing it in there. 246 00:15:44,818 --> 00:15:46,820 Start throwing it in there. Start throwing it in there. 247 00:15:46,820 --> 00:15:48,614 Start throwing it in there. - [MAN 2] Burn it. 248 00:15:48,614 --> 00:15:50,157 Burn it, burn it. 249 00:15:50,157 --> 00:15:52,743 (horn blaring) 250 00:15:53,994 --> 00:15:55,412 Hallelujah. 251 00:15:55,412 --> 00:15:57,122 Whoo! - There we go. 252 00:15:57,122 --> 00:15:59,208 - [Child] Mom, let me throw some books. 253 00:15:59,208 --> 00:16:02,044 (heartfelt music) 254 00:16:18,727 --> 00:16:21,981 (heartfelt music fades) 255 00:16:22,231 --> 00:16:23,273 (bus engine humming) 256 00:16:26,610 --> 00:16:29,989 - [All] I pledge allegiance to thee, Texas, 257 00:16:29,989 --> 00:16:33,409 one state under God, one and indivisible. 258 00:16:36,078 --> 00:16:38,372 - I do wanna clarify a couple of points 259 00:16:38,497 --> 00:16:39,873 on behalf of the district. 260 00:16:40,290 --> 00:16:43,627 As you know, Texas education 261 00:16:44,211 --> 00:16:45,838 is a responsibility of the state, 262 00:16:45,838 --> 00:16:49,091 which essentially makes Governor Abbott our CEO. 263 00:16:50,092 --> 00:16:51,510 - I wanna start this out simple. 264 00:16:51,510 --> 00:16:53,721 The job of the Superintendent and the school board 265 00:16:53,721 --> 00:16:55,889 is to not only protect the students in this district, 266 00:16:56,265 --> 00:16:57,683 but to make them feel like they have a place 267 00:16:57,683 --> 00:16:58,308 in this community. 268 00:16:58,726 --> 00:17:00,853 But I gotta tell you, from what I've seen so far, 269 00:17:00,853 --> 00:17:02,104 you are failing at your job. 270 00:17:02,813 --> 00:17:05,816 (door bell dinging) 271 00:17:07,943 --> 00:17:09,236 Hey, guys, come on in. 272 00:17:10,821 --> 00:17:13,532 We've all read "Fahrenheit" our freshman year, 273 00:17:13,532 --> 00:17:18,120 and we talk about the scariness of book banning. 274 00:17:18,412 --> 00:17:20,456 - Literally on the windows of our library, 275 00:17:20,456 --> 00:17:22,124 our library has a big windowed wall, 276 00:17:22,249 --> 00:17:26,628 there are freshmen students' drawings 277 00:17:26,962 --> 00:17:28,839 about "Fahrenheit 451". 278 00:17:30,507 --> 00:17:31,884 - Look, these are all novels 279 00:17:33,343 --> 00:17:35,387 all about people that never existed. 280 00:17:36,597 --> 00:17:37,514 The people that read them, 281 00:17:37,514 --> 00:17:39,058 it makes them unhappy with their own lives, 282 00:17:39,058 --> 00:17:40,559 makes them want to live in other ways 283 00:17:40,559 --> 00:17:42,728 that can never really be. 284 00:17:43,645 --> 00:17:47,691 So we must burn the books, Montag. 285 00:17:49,359 --> 00:17:50,652 All the books. 286 00:17:50,861 --> 00:17:51,820 - And seeing that 287 00:17:51,820 --> 00:17:55,074 and knowing what is going on within that library, 288 00:17:55,074 --> 00:17:59,369 it feels like it's blatant that there's a facade here. 289 00:17:59,369 --> 00:18:02,664 - We have books in the library that are pretty heavy 290 00:18:02,664 --> 00:18:05,459 and have sexual assault, like "A Clockwork Orange" even, 291 00:18:05,876 --> 00:18:07,711 and that wasn't pulled, so. 292 00:18:08,879 --> 00:18:10,798 - Had I not picked this book up, 293 00:18:11,799 --> 00:18:14,593 I don't think I would be sitting here now. 294 00:18:14,802 --> 00:18:18,013 - If it's a cis straight white male or a female, 295 00:18:18,013 --> 00:18:19,098 well, it's no issue. 296 00:18:19,098 --> 00:18:21,934 But as soon as you've got any kind of diversity, 297 00:18:21,934 --> 00:18:23,727 hmm, red flag, red flag. - Got a gay person, 298 00:18:23,727 --> 00:18:27,231 a Brown person, cut it out. (laughing together) 299 00:18:27,689 --> 00:18:30,234 - An analysis of the 850 book list 300 00:18:30,234 --> 00:18:32,361 found the following likely reasons for inclusion. 301 00:18:32,820 --> 00:18:37,407 60% because of LGBTQ+, 8% because of race and racism, 302 00:18:37,658 --> 00:18:39,618 13% because of sexual education, 303 00:18:39,785 --> 00:18:42,371 something that is not taught in all Texas schools. 304 00:18:42,538 --> 00:18:44,540 Stop the censorship in our district, 305 00:18:44,540 --> 00:18:46,750 wake up to the reality that we are all different 306 00:18:46,750 --> 00:18:48,544 and we should all embrace each other with love, 307 00:18:48,544 --> 00:18:49,545 not blatant hate. 308 00:18:49,878 --> 00:18:52,631 - I'm simply gonna say that no government, 309 00:18:52,631 --> 00:18:54,716 and public school is an extension of government, 310 00:18:54,925 --> 00:18:58,262 has ever banned books and banned information from its public 311 00:18:58,262 --> 00:19:00,347 and been remembered in history as the good guys. 312 00:19:00,556 --> 00:19:02,057 - Let's not misrepresent things. 313 00:19:02,057 --> 00:19:04,852 We're not taking Shakespeare or Hemingway off the shelves, 314 00:19:04,852 --> 00:19:08,188 and we're not going and grabbing every socially, culturally, 315 00:19:08,188 --> 00:19:11,024 or religiously diverse book and pulling them. 316 00:19:11,024 --> 00:19:12,109 That's absurd. 317 00:19:12,901 --> 00:19:15,362 And the people that are saying that are gaslighters 318 00:19:15,362 --> 00:19:18,031 and it's designed to incite division. 319 00:19:18,532 --> 00:19:21,034 (tense music) 320 00:19:21,994 --> 00:19:22,661 (inaudible) 321 00:19:23,620 --> 00:19:25,038 I might need somebody else to help me 322 00:19:25,080 --> 00:19:26,248 I need to pass these out. 323 00:19:26,248 --> 00:19:28,458 Maybe somebody else to help Karen? 324 00:19:28,876 --> 00:19:31,670 You can give them to the board, definitely she needs help. 325 00:19:31,670 --> 00:19:33,297 I brought you some excerpts of books. 326 00:19:33,297 --> 00:19:35,048 I pray you really are able to stop 327 00:19:35,048 --> 00:19:37,301 this kind of content from going in the school. 328 00:19:37,676 --> 00:19:40,596 These people put sexually explicit content 329 00:19:40,596 --> 00:19:41,638 into your libraries. 330 00:19:41,889 --> 00:19:44,641 (upbeat music) 331 00:19:44,641 --> 00:19:47,561 - [Narrator] Get ready for truth and transparency, 332 00:19:47,561 --> 00:19:50,397 from an ocean of liberal tears. 333 00:19:50,397 --> 00:19:54,067 - Let's talk about Superintendent Dr. Jeremy Glenn 334 00:19:54,067 --> 00:19:57,029 and the smut and porn in the library books. 335 00:19:57,029 --> 00:19:59,114 - And it's not just his position, 336 00:19:59,114 --> 00:20:01,116 it's the position of the school board, 337 00:20:01,116 --> 00:20:04,119 it's the position of this community at large. 338 00:20:04,328 --> 00:20:07,289 Bottom line, this is about removing 339 00:20:07,289 --> 00:20:09,750 pornographic, sexually explicit, 340 00:20:09,750 --> 00:20:12,961 and vulgar materials from school libraries. 341 00:20:12,961 --> 00:20:14,838 - I want you to know this, tonight I'm gonna go home 342 00:20:14,838 --> 00:20:16,673 and I'm gonna get a great night's sleep, 343 00:20:16,673 --> 00:20:20,802 because unlike you, I've actually read what's in those books 344 00:20:20,802 --> 00:20:23,555 and I'm proud that they've been removed from our shelves 345 00:20:23,555 --> 00:20:25,349 and we've made the right decision for kids. 346 00:20:25,807 --> 00:20:28,977 (audience applauding) 347 00:20:32,814 --> 00:20:34,566 - [Courtney] I taught for about five years. 348 00:20:34,566 --> 00:20:36,443 I've taught in a private school setting 349 00:20:36,443 --> 00:20:39,112 and I've taught sixth grade social studies, 350 00:20:39,112 --> 00:20:41,949 I've taught third grade general education, 351 00:20:41,949 --> 00:20:43,992 so all the core classes. 352 00:20:44,368 --> 00:20:46,870 My concern was that there might have been stuff 353 00:20:46,870 --> 00:20:48,830 that they just didn't know was there, 354 00:20:48,830 --> 00:20:51,083 that they just weren't aware, 355 00:20:51,083 --> 00:20:53,418 because they didn't know where to look. 356 00:20:53,418 --> 00:20:55,504 And at first, I didn't know where to look. 357 00:20:58,382 --> 00:21:00,300 I had gone to a Moms for Liberty event 358 00:21:00,300 --> 00:21:03,262 where we had a preview to a documentary. 359 00:21:03,929 --> 00:21:07,057 - [Narrator] You are teaching children adult child sex, 360 00:21:07,057 --> 00:21:09,184 you're teaching transgender issues, 361 00:21:09,476 --> 00:21:12,854 and children are moldable and influenced by that. 362 00:21:12,854 --> 00:21:14,273 - In my humble opinion, 363 00:21:14,273 --> 00:21:17,109 it will be worse before it gets better. 364 00:21:18,026 --> 00:21:20,779 (dramatic music) 365 00:21:22,572 --> 00:21:24,866 - My kids go to the schools here, 366 00:21:24,866 --> 00:21:27,452 my family's kids go to the schools here, 367 00:21:27,452 --> 00:21:29,579 my friend's kids go to the schools here. 368 00:21:29,579 --> 00:21:31,581 It was disheartening to think that 369 00:21:31,581 --> 00:21:34,042 that was actually happening in my hometown. 370 00:21:34,126 --> 00:21:36,712 (somber music) 371 00:21:57,774 --> 00:21:59,609 - We first really encountered 372 00:21:59,609 --> 00:22:03,030 the Moms for Liberty organizations during COVID 373 00:22:03,030 --> 00:22:07,451 as they really pushed to open schools and unmask children. 374 00:22:07,617 --> 00:22:09,161 And that's when we started 375 00:22:09,161 --> 00:22:11,538 to hear about their parental rights. 376 00:22:11,788 --> 00:22:14,958 - Some of us moms out here have really struggled, 377 00:22:14,958 --> 00:22:16,585 have children that have really struggled 378 00:22:16,585 --> 00:22:18,045 with wearing a mask. 379 00:22:18,628 --> 00:22:23,633 - Then when that crisis was over, they turned to the books. 380 00:22:23,967 --> 00:22:26,136 - The things that Moms for Liberty is fighting against 381 00:22:26,136 --> 00:22:27,929 is pornography in school, 382 00:22:27,929 --> 00:22:31,224 teaching young children scientific ideologies 383 00:22:31,224 --> 00:22:33,852 that are non-scientific ideologies. 384 00:22:53,705 --> 00:22:56,416 (eerie music) 385 00:22:56,625 --> 00:22:58,502 - And it just spread. 386 00:22:59,836 --> 00:23:02,756 We could almost see a preview of what was to come, 387 00:23:03,173 --> 00:23:06,051 and this playbook emerged. 388 00:23:06,385 --> 00:23:08,303 (crowd yelling) 389 00:23:08,303 --> 00:23:09,554 - We were afraid. 390 00:23:09,554 --> 00:23:10,972 We were told not to tweet, 391 00:23:10,972 --> 00:23:13,225 we were told not to put things on Facebook. 392 00:23:13,225 --> 00:23:16,770 - They came after me and they came after our library. 393 00:23:16,770 --> 00:23:18,772 They came after our library board. 394 00:23:20,273 --> 00:23:22,275 - We were called evil specialist 395 00:23:22,275 --> 00:23:24,027 instead of media specialist. 396 00:23:24,319 --> 00:23:25,570 (eerie music) 397 00:23:26,029 --> 00:23:27,030 - I know they're gonna fire me, 398 00:23:27,030 --> 00:23:28,698 I know they're making a case to fire me, 399 00:23:28,698 --> 00:23:31,535 I know it's coming, but I'm not gonna shut up. 400 00:23:31,535 --> 00:23:32,285 I'm just not gonna do it. 401 00:23:33,161 --> 00:23:34,913 - You continue to speak out, 402 00:23:34,913 --> 00:23:36,581 you will be on the chopping block. 403 00:23:36,581 --> 00:23:37,791 You will lose your job. 404 00:23:37,958 --> 00:23:40,544 We have guns, when can we start killing liberals? 405 00:23:40,544 --> 00:23:42,337 When could they start hunting us? 406 00:23:42,337 --> 00:23:45,715 - Hold the line against the LGBT Mafia 407 00:23:45,715 --> 00:23:48,343 and their dang pedo fans. 408 00:23:48,427 --> 00:23:51,263 - We had to bring in law enforcement to meetings. 409 00:23:51,263 --> 00:23:53,557 - This white truck pulled up behind us 410 00:23:53,557 --> 00:23:56,852 and the guy rolled down his window and he yelled at me, 411 00:23:56,852 --> 00:23:58,812 he said, "We're coming after you next." 412 00:23:58,895 --> 00:24:00,689 - We're gonna keep coming so hard, 413 00:24:00,689 --> 00:24:03,108 the only thing these woketards got to figure out 414 00:24:03,108 --> 00:24:04,693 is whether it's on their face, back, 415 00:24:04,693 --> 00:24:07,195 butt, or thighs, whoo. 416 00:24:08,864 --> 00:24:10,323 (news jingle) 417 00:24:10,323 --> 00:24:11,491 - A Florida school district 418 00:24:11,491 --> 00:24:14,703 has pulled 176 books from its libraries 419 00:24:14,995 --> 00:24:17,581 to comply with a new State Education Reform Law 420 00:24:17,581 --> 00:24:19,791 championed by Governor Ron DeSantis. 421 00:24:19,791 --> 00:24:21,418 - We are gonna make sure 422 00:24:21,418 --> 00:24:23,128 that parents have a seat at the table 423 00:24:23,628 --> 00:24:25,922 and that we protect their rights. 424 00:24:25,922 --> 00:24:28,675 - [News Reporter] Under Florida's HB 1467 law, 425 00:24:28,675 --> 00:24:31,261 school books have to be free of pornography 426 00:24:31,261 --> 00:24:33,597 or certain race-based teachings. 427 00:24:33,597 --> 00:24:36,475 Violating parts of the law could lead teachers 428 00:24:36,475 --> 00:24:38,268 to be charged with a felony. 429 00:24:38,643 --> 00:24:41,062 (soft music) 430 00:24:43,982 --> 00:24:45,066 - Librarians are pulling books 431 00:24:45,066 --> 00:24:46,651 without anyone challenging them. 432 00:24:48,862 --> 00:24:50,822 The teachers in Manatee County were told, 433 00:24:50,822 --> 00:24:55,827 "By Friday at 3:00 PM, you will either cover with paper, 434 00:24:55,827 --> 00:24:58,163 turn them to the walls, or take your books home." 435 00:24:58,872 --> 00:25:01,917 They thought they were airing on the side of caution. 436 00:25:02,501 --> 00:25:04,127 But the kids were so upset, 437 00:25:04,127 --> 00:25:06,880 they actually texted their parents and said, 438 00:25:06,880 --> 00:25:08,798 "Everyone's crying, everyone's upset, 439 00:25:08,798 --> 00:25:10,717 we need our books, we want our books." 440 00:25:10,884 --> 00:25:13,470 They wrote emails to the principal saying, 441 00:25:13,470 --> 00:25:14,930 "Please don't take away our books." 442 00:25:15,555 --> 00:25:17,974 (soft music) 443 00:25:20,310 --> 00:25:24,147 Part of what I see as my calling is taking care of children. 444 00:25:25,982 --> 00:25:29,319 Elizabeth Ann Seton was the patron saint of teachers. 445 00:25:32,906 --> 00:25:36,493 I do not believe that scripture 446 00:25:36,493 --> 00:25:38,328 is there for us to use as a weapon 447 00:25:39,454 --> 00:25:41,581 or to make our political points. 448 00:25:45,418 --> 00:25:48,088 Please do some research as to our founding fathers. 449 00:25:48,713 --> 00:25:51,675 Their biggest fear was that we become a theocracy. 450 00:25:52,050 --> 00:25:54,052 They did not want to be governed by a king 451 00:25:54,052 --> 00:25:56,429 and they did not want to be governed by a God. 452 00:25:57,597 --> 00:25:59,057 They wanted freedom. 453 00:26:02,102 --> 00:26:04,688 Librarians have heard from hundreds of kids 454 00:26:04,688 --> 00:26:06,106 that books have saved their lives. 455 00:26:06,982 --> 00:26:08,108 That's why to me, 456 00:26:08,108 --> 00:26:11,319 I see this as the civil rights fight of our time. 457 00:26:11,486 --> 00:26:13,905 (soft music) 458 00:26:17,784 --> 00:26:20,161 And they're not banning just any books. 459 00:26:20,787 --> 00:26:22,998 They're banning the best books. 460 00:26:23,206 --> 00:26:25,625 (soft music) 461 00:26:36,928 --> 00:26:39,639 - We reject woke ideology. 462 00:26:39,639 --> 00:26:40,765 (audience cheering) 463 00:26:40,765 --> 00:26:43,226 We fight the woke in the legislature, 464 00:26:43,226 --> 00:26:45,353 we fight the woke in the schools, 465 00:26:45,353 --> 00:26:47,480 we fight the woke in the corporations. 466 00:26:47,480 --> 00:26:51,234 We will never ever surrender to the woke mob. 467 00:26:51,234 --> 00:26:54,529 Florida is where woke goes to die. 468 00:26:54,904 --> 00:26:57,907 (audience cheering) 469 00:27:08,084 --> 00:27:12,672 - We've got down here, "The Librarian of Auschwitz" 470 00:27:12,672 --> 00:27:16,551 some people are challenging, or "Flamer", 471 00:27:16,551 --> 00:27:18,094 which is actually a really good one, 472 00:27:18,303 --> 00:27:20,263 and then of course, "The Handmaid's Tale". 473 00:27:23,183 --> 00:27:25,352 I had been at the school for nine years. 474 00:27:26,269 --> 00:27:28,104 It had been a dream job 475 00:27:28,104 --> 00:27:31,107 for the first seven of those nine years. 476 00:27:31,524 --> 00:27:33,777 - The governor says this is child pornography. 477 00:27:34,527 --> 00:27:37,947 - In June, one of the Moms for Liberty in our area 478 00:27:37,947 --> 00:27:40,784 had posted a video about the second book 479 00:27:40,784 --> 00:27:42,827 in the "Court of Thorns and Roses" series, 480 00:27:42,911 --> 00:27:44,788 and she tagged all of the schools 481 00:27:44,788 --> 00:27:46,790 that had the book in their library. 482 00:27:47,082 --> 00:27:48,708 So then the district decided 483 00:27:49,209 --> 00:27:51,753 to just quietly pull the books 484 00:27:51,753 --> 00:27:53,046 from the shelves and delete them. 485 00:27:53,463 --> 00:27:55,757 And I happened to notice a few days later 486 00:27:55,757 --> 00:27:56,966 when I went up to work. 487 00:27:57,175 --> 00:27:58,218 I was very concerned 488 00:27:58,218 --> 00:28:00,720 that this was kind of getting out of hand. 489 00:28:01,304 --> 00:28:03,014 So I went to the school board meeting. 490 00:28:03,014 --> 00:28:04,474 Hi, good evening. 491 00:28:04,474 --> 00:28:05,934 My name is Julie Miller. 492 00:28:05,934 --> 00:28:10,605 My address is on file and I am a high school librarian. 493 00:28:12,524 --> 00:28:15,944 I know, we're kind of seen as the bad guy. 494 00:28:16,361 --> 00:28:18,113 So I just wanted to give you guys 495 00:28:18,113 --> 00:28:22,784 just a moment of hearing straight from one of us 496 00:28:22,784 --> 00:28:24,202 who are boots on the ground 497 00:28:24,452 --> 00:28:27,539 to let you know a little bit about us. 498 00:28:27,831 --> 00:28:31,251 I am a Baptist minister's wife 499 00:28:31,251 --> 00:28:33,753 and daughter of a minister as well. 500 00:28:34,254 --> 00:28:39,175 It was at that same meeting where Bruce Friedman showed up. 501 00:28:39,175 --> 00:28:41,970 - [News Reporter] This year at least 102 books 502 00:28:41,970 --> 00:28:44,681 have been banned in Clay County, Florida. 503 00:28:44,931 --> 00:28:46,850 They were removed from school libraries 504 00:28:46,850 --> 00:28:50,729 thanks in large part to this single conservative activist. 505 00:28:50,812 --> 00:28:53,440 - I represent No Left Turn in Education. 506 00:28:53,606 --> 00:28:54,816 That's the Florida chapter. 507 00:28:54,816 --> 00:28:56,401 I also run the New York chapter. 508 00:28:56,401 --> 00:28:58,236 I'm also a member of Moms for Liberty. 509 00:28:58,611 --> 00:29:03,199 - I spent 45 minutes after that meeting talking to him. 510 00:29:03,491 --> 00:29:05,994 And it was a pleasant... 511 00:29:06,202 --> 00:29:08,663 weird, but pleasant conversation. 512 00:29:08,913 --> 00:29:10,999 And the next thing I know is 513 00:29:10,999 --> 00:29:14,294 Bruce essentially said in an article, 514 00:29:14,878 --> 00:29:17,589 I'm gonna clean up the libraries in Clay County, 515 00:29:17,672 --> 00:29:19,132 anyone who gets in my way, 516 00:29:19,132 --> 00:29:21,509 I'm gonna run over them like a dead body. 517 00:29:21,718 --> 00:29:23,386 Which is like, first of all, 518 00:29:23,386 --> 00:29:26,264 who runs over a dead body, like, what does that even mean? 519 00:29:27,182 --> 00:29:29,851 But very triggering language. 520 00:29:31,227 --> 00:29:34,939 And then he started writing my name on challenge forms. 521 00:29:36,399 --> 00:29:37,692 "Talk to Julie Miller." 522 00:29:37,692 --> 00:29:39,402 "Julie Miller has this one." 523 00:29:39,402 --> 00:29:40,820 Surprise, surprise. 524 00:29:41,070 --> 00:29:42,739 "Disgusting." 525 00:29:43,281 --> 00:29:45,241 It was like, what is going on? 526 00:29:50,580 --> 00:29:53,583 (upbeat live music) 527 00:29:57,837 --> 00:30:02,383 - Julie was very helpful in research of the books 528 00:30:02,383 --> 00:30:05,470 that have been banned, the books that have been removed. 529 00:30:07,180 --> 00:30:09,808 ♪ Get ready ♪ ♪ Get ready ♪ 530 00:30:09,808 --> 00:30:11,351 ♪ For when He returns ♪ ♪ For when He returns ♪ 531 00:30:11,351 --> 00:30:14,521 - [Jeffrey] To attempt to take Black history 532 00:30:14,521 --> 00:30:18,900 and take a lot of our stories away from children 533 00:30:18,900 --> 00:30:22,445 is one of the most evil things I think a person can do. 534 00:30:24,447 --> 00:30:25,406 - [Narrator] When it comes to the number 535 00:30:25,406 --> 00:30:28,451 of banned books at schools, Florida leads the nation, 536 00:30:28,451 --> 00:30:30,912 and Clay County is number one in the state. 537 00:30:30,912 --> 00:30:33,581 (keys clacking) 538 00:30:34,624 --> 00:30:36,835 - Clay County is one of the last 539 00:30:36,835 --> 00:30:39,796 good old boy frontiers in North Florida. 540 00:30:40,797 --> 00:30:43,049 If you ride through Clay County, 541 00:30:43,049 --> 00:30:47,637 most of the streets are named after slave owners. 542 00:30:48,471 --> 00:30:52,016 And so that symbolism and that ideology, 543 00:30:52,016 --> 00:30:53,852 it gives them opportunity 544 00:30:53,852 --> 00:30:57,897 to be deep-seated in government positions, 545 00:30:57,897 --> 00:31:00,275 superintendent, school board, 546 00:31:00,275 --> 00:31:02,485 city managers, all of that. 547 00:31:02,485 --> 00:31:05,154 (keys clacking) 548 00:31:07,615 --> 00:31:09,117 These are some of the books. 549 00:31:09,534 --> 00:31:10,577 "Stamped". 550 00:31:12,662 --> 00:31:14,914 Anybody ever seen the movie "The Color Purple"? 551 00:31:14,914 --> 00:31:16,124 - Yes. - Yes. 552 00:31:16,374 --> 00:31:19,919 - And of course, "1619 Project". 553 00:31:19,919 --> 00:31:24,090 Do you care whether books that are written 554 00:31:24,090 --> 00:31:29,095 by African Americans, or books like, 555 00:31:29,679 --> 00:31:31,222 this book was banned. 556 00:31:32,515 --> 00:31:36,060 - As a kid, going to a predominantly white school, 557 00:31:36,060 --> 00:31:39,981 I was always questioning who I was. 558 00:31:40,440 --> 00:31:43,067 Like, hair, skin color. 559 00:31:43,651 --> 00:31:47,280 I feel like this "New Kid", "Hair Love", 560 00:31:47,280 --> 00:31:48,656 I feel like that would've made me feel 561 00:31:48,656 --> 00:31:51,826 a little bit more comfortable in my own skin. 562 00:31:53,411 --> 00:31:56,039 - What's dangerous with this book banning 563 00:31:56,039 --> 00:32:01,836 is it's being led by people who say they love God. 564 00:32:02,754 --> 00:32:06,424 - And I call for the fire of God, and the glory of God, 565 00:32:06,424 --> 00:32:09,552 and the fear of the Lord to fall on Clay County, Florida 566 00:32:09,552 --> 00:32:10,970 in the name of Jesus. 567 00:32:10,970 --> 00:32:12,430 (audience applauding) 568 00:32:13,556 --> 00:32:15,683 - [Board Member] Next we have Jeffrey Dove. 569 00:32:23,066 --> 00:32:26,486 - I do not wish the fire of your God to fall on you all. 570 00:32:30,114 --> 00:32:31,866 That's not the God I serve. 571 00:32:32,241 --> 00:32:34,953 I'm a lot of things, I'm a pastor, I'm a father, 572 00:32:35,203 --> 00:32:37,413 and most of all, I'm a strong Black man. 573 00:32:38,498 --> 00:32:39,499 But when you start talking 574 00:32:39,499 --> 00:32:42,293 about removing African American authors 575 00:32:42,293 --> 00:32:45,088 and African American history, I got a problem with that. 576 00:32:46,339 --> 00:32:48,675 Because right now we are an embarrassment 577 00:32:51,052 --> 00:32:52,387 in the state of Florida. 578 00:32:53,262 --> 00:32:55,640 - And we got the list of these books 579 00:32:55,640 --> 00:32:57,308 are to be removed immediately, 580 00:32:57,308 --> 00:32:59,185 so says the oversight committee. 581 00:33:02,146 --> 00:33:06,484 I wrote an email back and just asked like, 582 00:33:06,484 --> 00:33:10,405 "Could you please provide us with the reason 583 00:33:10,405 --> 00:33:12,907 why each of these books is being removed?" 584 00:33:12,907 --> 00:33:16,995 - So months had went by, I asked someone about Julie 585 00:33:16,995 --> 00:33:18,538 and how she was doing? 586 00:33:18,913 --> 00:33:22,625 That one thing that I dreaded the most had happened. 587 00:33:23,960 --> 00:33:27,547 - I lost my job, I was removed from my library 588 00:33:28,631 --> 00:33:30,717 for asking questions. 589 00:33:31,718 --> 00:33:33,970 They're gonna say it's because I was refusing 590 00:33:33,970 --> 00:33:35,304 to follow directives. 591 00:33:36,097 --> 00:33:37,765 That's not the case at all. 592 00:33:37,765 --> 00:33:41,269 It's really just because I kept pushing back. 593 00:33:41,686 --> 00:33:43,646 (somber music) 594 00:33:43,646 --> 00:33:45,023 (keys clacking) 595 00:33:45,023 --> 00:33:46,566 - [Board Member] Okay, at this time I will open. 596 00:33:46,858 --> 00:33:48,985 - I sat there three hours. 597 00:33:49,527 --> 00:33:52,280 I wasn't giving up, I wasn't budging, 598 00:33:52,280 --> 00:33:53,614 I don't care how long it was, 599 00:33:53,614 --> 00:33:55,408 they were going to hear me that day. 600 00:33:56,993 --> 00:33:58,578 - All right, so before actually 601 00:33:58,578 --> 00:34:00,329 we move into school board member comments. 602 00:34:00,329 --> 00:34:02,373 I did have a question from the audience. 603 00:34:03,374 --> 00:34:05,501 And this is from Mr. Dove. - Yeah, the reason I came back 604 00:34:05,501 --> 00:34:09,589 because I saw one of you all's media specialist 605 00:34:09,589 --> 00:34:11,591 in Clay County was removed. 606 00:34:12,508 --> 00:34:13,384 It's wrong. 607 00:34:15,636 --> 00:34:19,766 Don't do people like that when they have a different view. 608 00:34:20,016 --> 00:34:21,017 It's not fair. 609 00:34:22,060 --> 00:34:26,606 If anybody has to be responsible for this caboodle 610 00:34:26,606 --> 00:34:28,524 we are leading the United States, 611 00:34:28,524 --> 00:34:31,736 and books that are not on the shelf, it's y'all. 612 00:34:33,321 --> 00:34:34,322 Shame on you. 613 00:34:34,322 --> 00:34:35,823 Shame, shame, shame on you. 614 00:34:37,075 --> 00:34:40,870 Moms for Liberty are making a lot of ground. 615 00:34:42,080 --> 00:34:43,915 Very smart young ladies. 616 00:34:45,291 --> 00:34:47,210 I call it wicked genius. 617 00:34:47,710 --> 00:34:52,465 It's a genius that curtails to oppressing people. 618 00:34:53,633 --> 00:34:57,178 - It was like snuffing out a candle. 619 00:34:58,971 --> 00:35:02,391 It just happened, so, like, quietly, 620 00:35:03,142 --> 00:35:06,312 and it's like, "You're dismissed." 621 00:35:07,438 --> 00:35:09,816 - And it's all politically motivated, right? 622 00:35:11,901 --> 00:35:13,986 But I met the young man outside. 623 00:35:15,696 --> 00:35:17,657 And I said, "How you doing, brother?" 624 00:35:20,576 --> 00:35:24,122 He says, "I hate librarians." 625 00:35:26,040 --> 00:35:27,291 This can't be America. 626 00:35:31,921 --> 00:35:33,548 No, this can't be America. 627 00:35:35,591 --> 00:35:38,219 (keys clacking) 628 00:35:43,641 --> 00:35:44,725 - And it feels like I'm living 629 00:35:44,725 --> 00:35:46,644 in a dystopian novel right now. 630 00:35:46,644 --> 00:35:48,938 Like, if you would've asked me 10 years ago 631 00:35:48,938 --> 00:35:51,357 if I was gonna have security concerns 632 00:35:51,357 --> 00:35:54,569 at a librarian conference, I'd been like, "You're nuts." 633 00:35:54,569 --> 00:35:55,486 (Nancy Jo laughs) 634 00:35:57,113 --> 00:36:00,449 - This is the highest number of attempted book bans 635 00:36:00,449 --> 00:36:03,744 since we began compiling these lists 20 years ago. 636 00:36:04,495 --> 00:36:07,540 And I hate that censorship affects our professional lives, 637 00:36:07,540 --> 00:36:08,791 but it is a reality. 638 00:36:09,917 --> 00:36:11,878 Sometimes librarians are relocated 639 00:36:11,878 --> 00:36:13,838 to other buildings or grade levels, 640 00:36:13,838 --> 00:36:17,341 and sometimes librarians are outright fired 641 00:36:17,341 --> 00:36:19,093 for defending intellectual freedom. 642 00:36:20,428 --> 00:36:22,889 And then there are the cases where librarians fear 643 00:36:22,889 --> 00:36:26,100 for their physical safety and for those of their families. 644 00:36:27,226 --> 00:36:29,187 One librarian had her tires slashed 645 00:36:29,187 --> 00:36:30,730 during a library board meeting. 646 00:36:31,731 --> 00:36:34,650 - We understand what's going on right now, 647 00:36:34,650 --> 00:36:37,320 on a very real and personal level for some of us, 648 00:36:38,946 --> 00:36:43,117 but I know that as librarians, we continue to remember 649 00:36:43,284 --> 00:36:47,914 and focus on our professionalism and the work that we do. 650 00:36:47,914 --> 00:36:51,125 We want to make sure that we are reinforcing to you 651 00:36:51,125 --> 00:36:53,878 that even in the darkest of days, 652 00:36:53,878 --> 00:36:57,089 this is still what we do. 653 00:36:57,548 --> 00:37:00,134 (bright music) 654 00:37:01,594 --> 00:37:03,804 - We wanna talk about a book banning controversy 655 00:37:03,804 --> 00:37:05,848 underway in Island Trees, New York. 656 00:37:05,848 --> 00:37:08,809 For six years, "The Naked Ape", "Slaughterhouse-Five", 657 00:37:08,809 --> 00:37:11,062 and seven other books labeled by the school board 658 00:37:11,062 --> 00:37:12,939 as anti-American or obscene 659 00:37:12,939 --> 00:37:15,775 have been banned from Island Tree's library shelves. 660 00:37:15,775 --> 00:37:17,985 Steven Pico, you are one of the students 661 00:37:17,985 --> 00:37:19,195 to bring action, were you not? 662 00:37:19,195 --> 00:37:21,239 - We filed suit because we believe 663 00:37:21,239 --> 00:37:23,491 that every American, regardless of age, 664 00:37:23,491 --> 00:37:26,035 has the right to be exposed to diversity of viewpoints 665 00:37:26,035 --> 00:37:28,162 and gain a number of perspectives on life. 666 00:37:28,162 --> 00:37:30,206 - The Supreme Court today sharply curbed 667 00:37:30,206 --> 00:37:31,916 the authority of local school boards 668 00:37:31,916 --> 00:37:33,751 to ban books from school libraries. 669 00:37:36,295 --> 00:37:41,008 - For laypeople, this is the Roe v. Wade of libraries. 670 00:37:41,008 --> 00:37:42,260 When the Krause list came back, 671 00:37:42,260 --> 00:37:45,304 when Granbury boxed up hundreds of books, 672 00:37:45,304 --> 00:37:48,557 they were infringing on what Pico established. 673 00:37:49,141 --> 00:37:50,643 A book cannot be removed 674 00:37:50,643 --> 00:37:53,271 because of a disagreement with the ideas 675 00:37:53,271 --> 00:37:54,480 that are in the book. 676 00:37:56,816 --> 00:37:57,900 We're highly trained 677 00:37:57,900 --> 00:38:00,653 in the selection of age appropriate material. 678 00:38:00,653 --> 00:38:02,989 Most of us have Library and Information Science 679 00:38:02,989 --> 00:38:04,198 master's degrees. 680 00:38:05,533 --> 00:38:08,911 We learned legal precedent and we take courses on it. 681 00:38:09,328 --> 00:38:12,540 - The thing that truly concerns us is when an individual, 682 00:38:12,540 --> 00:38:14,875 whether it be a parent, or a non-parent, 683 00:38:14,875 --> 00:38:17,878 or a single group within the society tries to determine 684 00:38:17,878 --> 00:38:20,214 what is correct for not only that child 685 00:38:20,214 --> 00:38:21,924 but other children as well. 686 00:38:21,924 --> 00:38:23,718 That is what we fight. 687 00:38:23,968 --> 00:38:26,637 (cars whirring) 688 00:38:34,228 --> 00:38:36,814 - When I was growing up, we had one road here, 689 00:38:36,981 --> 00:38:40,026 and if you were Black, you lived on that one road. 690 00:38:41,902 --> 00:38:44,238 In our parish, we have the highest concentration 691 00:38:44,238 --> 00:38:47,491 of like KKK, Aryan Nation, 692 00:38:47,491 --> 00:38:48,534 those type of groups. 693 00:38:50,119 --> 00:38:52,038 (dogs barking distantly) 694 00:38:52,538 --> 00:38:53,497 I'm not gonna say my parents 695 00:38:53,497 --> 00:38:55,249 are white Christian nationalists, 696 00:38:55,249 --> 00:38:57,418 but when I started being targeted, 697 00:38:57,418 --> 00:38:58,961 they didn't speak to me for a week. 698 00:38:59,086 --> 00:39:01,797 - It's kind of a mess in here. 699 00:39:04,258 --> 00:39:05,176 There we go. 700 00:39:05,634 --> 00:39:06,510 Let me turn this. 701 00:39:09,180 --> 00:39:09,805 All right. 702 00:39:10,806 --> 00:39:13,684 For 40 years I've been wanting to build a cannon. 703 00:39:13,684 --> 00:39:15,019 See, it rolls real easy. 704 00:39:15,936 --> 00:39:17,980 It's called a Confederate mountain rifle. 705 00:39:19,190 --> 00:39:21,484 It's an exact replica of what you would've seen 706 00:39:21,484 --> 00:39:23,277 back to the Civil War. 707 00:39:29,492 --> 00:39:32,661 You know, I've done a lot of family history and research. 708 00:39:32,661 --> 00:39:35,373 My ancestors listed slaves as property, 709 00:39:35,664 --> 00:39:37,249 and I'm not proud of that. 710 00:39:37,875 --> 00:39:39,043 It's uncomfortable. 711 00:39:39,627 --> 00:39:41,253 But I think sometimes we have to be uncomfortable 712 00:39:41,253 --> 00:39:42,421 and face that fact. 713 00:39:42,713 --> 00:39:45,716 - Why would you want to embarrass white kids or? 714 00:39:47,843 --> 00:39:48,677 - It's like she said, 715 00:39:48,677 --> 00:39:50,763 that's the past and we can't change that. 716 00:39:51,013 --> 00:39:55,226 - What you don't want to do is teach your kids 717 00:39:55,226 --> 00:39:56,727 to hate their country. 718 00:39:56,727 --> 00:39:59,397 'Cause then when they grow up, we won't have a country. 719 00:39:59,397 --> 00:40:00,689 - I love my country, 720 00:40:00,689 --> 00:40:02,817 but I think we have to acknowledge that we're not perfect. 721 00:40:03,067 --> 00:40:07,238 - You don't teach only the bad, 722 00:40:07,238 --> 00:40:09,323 the bad, the bad, the bad, the bad, bad. 723 00:40:12,576 --> 00:40:14,912 - [News Reporter] While the rest of us were in lockdown, 724 00:40:14,912 --> 00:40:17,540 Live Oak Middle librarian, Amanda Jones, 725 00:40:17,540 --> 00:40:19,917 and her students were traveling the world. 726 00:40:19,917 --> 00:40:22,169 - I decided if they couldn't go out in the world, 727 00:40:22,169 --> 00:40:23,421 I was gonna bring the world to them. 728 00:40:23,421 --> 00:40:24,296 - [News Reporter] She was awarded 729 00:40:24,296 --> 00:40:28,175 the 2021 National School Librarian of the Year. 730 00:40:28,175 --> 00:40:30,970 - And I hope to use it as a platform to advocate 731 00:40:30,970 --> 00:40:32,972 for school libraries across the country. 732 00:40:35,975 --> 00:40:37,143 "Here's Amanda Jones 733 00:40:37,143 --> 00:40:39,061 at the Livingston Parish Library board meeting 734 00:40:39,061 --> 00:40:40,896 on Tuesday, July 19th. 735 00:40:41,063 --> 00:40:43,607 Why is she fighting so hard to keep sexually erotic 736 00:40:43,607 --> 00:40:46,026 and pornographic material in the kids section? 737 00:40:47,445 --> 00:40:49,321 The reason I got targeted attacks 738 00:40:49,321 --> 00:40:51,782 is 'cause I spoke at our public library board meeting 739 00:40:51,782 --> 00:40:53,033 as a parent. 740 00:40:54,452 --> 00:40:56,996 "If a middle school teacher is promoting pornography 741 00:40:56,996 --> 00:40:58,914 and erotic content to kids, 742 00:40:58,914 --> 00:41:01,459 I don't care what kind of pedigree she has." 743 00:41:02,334 --> 00:41:05,337 And I've never promoted pornography and erotica to children. 744 00:41:06,964 --> 00:41:10,217 Our local representative came for a photo op 745 00:41:10,217 --> 00:41:12,178 when I got National School Librarian of the Year. 746 00:41:12,178 --> 00:41:14,054 She was there for that photo op. 747 00:41:14,388 --> 00:41:18,184 Two years later, she's perpetuating lies about me. 748 00:41:20,895 --> 00:41:23,397 - [Reporter] Jones was the subject of harsh memes, 749 00:41:23,397 --> 00:41:25,316 comments, and threats. 750 00:41:25,316 --> 00:41:28,319 Police couldn't determine who was threatening her. 751 00:41:29,612 --> 00:41:31,280 (car whirring) 752 00:41:31,280 --> 00:41:33,824 - I have made it very well known 753 00:41:33,824 --> 00:41:36,827 that I travel with a weapon, multiple weapons, 754 00:41:36,827 --> 00:41:39,330 and we got security all around our home. 755 00:41:39,830 --> 00:41:42,458 I have escape routes wherever I go in my head, 756 00:41:42,458 --> 00:41:44,710 and I get my groceries delivered, 757 00:41:44,710 --> 00:41:46,754 I don't go in public in my community. 758 00:41:48,881 --> 00:41:51,842 'Cause the things they say online are so horrible, 759 00:41:53,594 --> 00:41:54,929 you know, and I should be killed, 760 00:41:54,929 --> 00:41:57,806 and I shouldn't be alive. 761 00:41:58,140 --> 00:42:00,351 And it's sad, it's just my life now. 762 00:42:00,976 --> 00:42:03,562 (somber music) 763 00:42:04,104 --> 00:42:05,773 - I don't think any of us imagined 764 00:42:05,898 --> 00:42:09,109 when we started out that one day our lives might be at risk. 765 00:42:09,568 --> 00:42:11,904 I reached out to a lawyer, 766 00:42:12,196 --> 00:42:15,366 just got some background information about our county DA, 767 00:42:15,658 --> 00:42:18,118 and who in Texas would want to be 768 00:42:18,118 --> 00:42:20,371 the first district attorney 769 00:42:20,371 --> 00:42:23,249 to try to prosecute a school librarian. 770 00:42:24,500 --> 00:42:26,919 That was an existential moment for me. 771 00:42:27,211 --> 00:42:29,630 Imagining my face on the wanted poster 772 00:42:29,630 --> 00:42:32,716 and my friends being taken away in handcuffs. 773 00:42:33,842 --> 00:42:36,303 - You are obsolete, Mr. Wordsworth. 774 00:42:36,303 --> 00:42:39,014 - A lie! No man is obsolete! 775 00:42:39,014 --> 00:42:41,934 - You're a librarian, Mr. Wordsworth! 776 00:42:41,934 --> 00:42:43,936 - I'm a human being, I exist! 777 00:42:44,520 --> 00:42:48,274 And if I speak one thought aloud, that thought lives! 778 00:42:48,399 --> 00:42:50,442 Even after I'm shoveled into my grave! 779 00:42:51,527 --> 00:42:53,821 - You waste our time, Mr. Wordsworth, 780 00:42:53,821 --> 00:42:55,614 and you are not worth the waste. 781 00:42:57,199 --> 00:42:59,159 How do you find, ladies and gentlemen? 782 00:43:01,120 --> 00:43:01,954 - Obsolete. 783 00:43:01,954 --> 00:43:03,831 - Obsolete. - Obsolete. 784 00:43:03,831 --> 00:43:05,666 - Obsolete. - I concur. 785 00:43:06,959 --> 00:43:09,545 (car whirring) 786 00:43:10,588 --> 00:43:13,757 (wind blowing gently) 787 00:43:20,848 --> 00:43:24,268 - When I was first attacked back in 2021, 788 00:43:24,518 --> 00:43:29,523 a student who was not a library regular previously 789 00:43:30,357 --> 00:43:33,402 started showing up in the first couple of weeks in September 790 00:43:33,402 --> 00:43:37,156 every day during lunchtime and would just roam the stacks. 791 00:43:40,200 --> 00:43:42,911 And I'd go out and I'd say, "Can I help you find anything?" 792 00:43:42,911 --> 00:43:44,121 And he would say, "No." 793 00:43:44,121 --> 00:43:45,581 And I would leave it at that, 794 00:43:45,581 --> 00:43:47,625 I don't wanna nag a kid. 795 00:43:48,917 --> 00:43:50,669 After two weeks of this every day 796 00:43:50,669 --> 00:43:53,255 I see the kid emerge from the stacks 797 00:43:53,255 --> 00:43:55,924 holding "Lawn Boy" by Jonathan Evison. 798 00:43:56,425 --> 00:43:59,511 (lighthearted music) 799 00:44:09,688 --> 00:44:12,107 I read the book myself and loved it. 800 00:44:13,609 --> 00:44:15,444 And I was kind of dumbfounded, 801 00:44:15,444 --> 00:44:18,405 because it was not a wildly popular book, 802 00:44:18,405 --> 00:44:20,157 it wasn't on many people's radar. 803 00:44:20,157 --> 00:44:22,284 And of all the 20,000 books in the library, 804 00:44:22,284 --> 00:44:23,661 he emerges with that one. 805 00:44:23,911 --> 00:44:25,621 I said, "How'd you learn about it?" 806 00:44:26,038 --> 00:44:29,917 And he said, "My parents told me about it 807 00:44:30,042 --> 00:44:32,670 and said I should look for it in the library." 808 00:44:33,504 --> 00:44:35,005 24 hours later, 809 00:44:36,965 --> 00:44:39,176 that student's mother was standing 810 00:44:39,176 --> 00:44:40,844 in front of the Board of Education. 811 00:44:40,844 --> 00:44:43,097 - Martha Hickson, our school librarian, 812 00:44:43,097 --> 00:44:45,891 remarked to my son as he was checking out the books, 813 00:44:45,891 --> 00:44:48,435 "I love that book." 814 00:44:48,435 --> 00:44:50,521 - And calling me a pornographer, pedophile, 815 00:44:50,521 --> 00:44:51,814 and groomer of children. 816 00:44:51,814 --> 00:44:55,317 - This amounts to an effort to groom our kids, 817 00:44:55,317 --> 00:44:57,486 to make them more willing to participate 818 00:44:57,486 --> 00:45:00,197 in the heinous acts described in these books. 819 00:45:00,197 --> 00:45:01,490 It grooms them to accept 820 00:45:01,490 --> 00:45:03,992 the inappropriate advances of an adult. 821 00:45:05,577 --> 00:45:07,538 - My principal was in that room, 822 00:45:07,913 --> 00:45:10,582 the assistant superintendent was in that room, 823 00:45:10,833 --> 00:45:13,210 but they sat there in silence. 824 00:45:13,544 --> 00:45:15,963 And here's the really painful part. 825 00:45:16,255 --> 00:45:19,341 They have maintained that silence for three years. 826 00:45:19,508 --> 00:45:22,052 (somber music) 827 00:45:32,896 --> 00:45:35,190 - Being a librarian, I started researching. 828 00:45:38,235 --> 00:45:40,946 I was watching Texas and Florida both very carefully. 829 00:45:44,074 --> 00:45:46,410 I felt like that's sort of the petri dish 830 00:45:46,410 --> 00:45:48,412 of what could be coming up here. 831 00:45:50,164 --> 00:45:52,750 This started in Llano, Texas. 832 00:45:53,625 --> 00:45:54,877 About a week later, 833 00:45:55,169 --> 00:45:58,380 a woman in Virginia saw the Llano challenge 834 00:45:58,380 --> 00:46:00,507 and picked up some of that language. 835 00:46:00,507 --> 00:46:04,386 - Both of these books include pedophilia. 836 00:46:04,386 --> 00:46:08,098 (someone interrupting) Do not interrupt my time. 837 00:46:08,098 --> 00:46:10,934 - And then about two weeks later, 838 00:46:10,934 --> 00:46:13,020 same claim showed up at our board meeting, 839 00:46:13,187 --> 00:46:15,731 and that suggested to me something was afoot. 840 00:46:16,774 --> 00:46:18,942 And I said, "I don't think this is organic. 841 00:46:19,943 --> 00:46:21,779 I don't think this is spontaneous. 842 00:46:22,488 --> 00:46:23,655 This is organized." 843 00:46:24,323 --> 00:46:27,743 (loud commotion) (whistle blowing) 844 00:46:28,076 --> 00:46:30,078 - [Reporter] Moms for Liberty are having their town hall 845 00:46:30,078 --> 00:46:32,122 here tonight on the Upper East Side. 846 00:46:33,165 --> 00:46:34,374 - Welcome, New York. 847 00:46:34,374 --> 00:46:35,709 We are thrilled to be here. 848 00:46:35,709 --> 00:46:37,753 Thank you so much for joining us tonight. 849 00:46:37,753 --> 00:46:39,004 (audience applauding) 850 00:46:39,004 --> 00:46:41,340 It seems like there's a lot of misconceptions out there 851 00:46:41,340 --> 00:46:43,133 about who we are and what we do. 852 00:46:43,550 --> 00:46:46,595 We were founded in 2021 by Tiffany Justice and I, 853 00:46:46,595 --> 00:46:48,222 who are both former school board members. 854 00:46:48,472 --> 00:46:49,681 - What is Mom's for Liberty? 855 00:46:49,681 --> 00:46:50,766 "The New Yorker" calls them 856 00:46:50,766 --> 00:46:53,477 the right wing mothers fueling the school board wars. 857 00:46:53,477 --> 00:46:55,687 - No one's gonna fight for any issue like a parent. 858 00:46:55,687 --> 00:46:57,981 We're not in it for the money. There's no glory. 859 00:46:57,981 --> 00:46:59,191 We love our children 860 00:46:59,191 --> 00:47:01,401 and we're willing to do anything to protect 861 00:47:01,401 --> 00:47:04,154 their future. - What money? What money? 862 00:47:04,154 --> 00:47:05,906 - Now they'll tell you that their funding 863 00:47:06,114 --> 00:47:08,492 for these national conferences 864 00:47:08,784 --> 00:47:11,578 comes from selling their $15 t-shirts. 865 00:47:12,996 --> 00:47:15,874 You don't get Ron DeSantis to show up at your conference, 866 00:47:16,041 --> 00:47:18,418 Donald Trump to show at your conference 867 00:47:18,752 --> 00:47:20,420 just from selling t-shirts. 868 00:47:20,754 --> 00:47:24,091 - But this grassroots group is registered as a 501(C), 869 00:47:24,091 --> 00:47:26,552 they are not to disclose their donors, 870 00:47:26,718 --> 00:47:30,347 but we do know that their pack received a $50,000 donation 871 00:47:30,347 --> 00:47:33,767 this year from Julie Fancelli, the largest single donor, 872 00:47:33,934 --> 00:47:36,144 to the January 6th Stop The Steal Rally 873 00:47:36,144 --> 00:47:38,063 that led to the capitol insurrection. 874 00:47:38,063 --> 00:47:40,774 We asked Moms for Liberty who else is among their donors, 875 00:47:40,774 --> 00:47:43,110 and they did not respond with any specific names. 876 00:47:43,110 --> 00:47:47,072 - What ideology are the children being indoctrinated into? 877 00:47:47,072 --> 00:47:49,616 - I think parents' fears are realized. 878 00:47:49,867 --> 00:47:51,285 They're looking at these books 879 00:47:51,285 --> 00:47:53,453 where sexual discussions are happening 880 00:47:53,453 --> 00:47:55,539 with their children at younger and younger ages. 881 00:47:55,873 --> 00:47:57,457 - [Reporter] "And Tango Makes Three" 882 00:47:57,457 --> 00:48:00,669 has been challenged in at least 32 states. 883 00:48:00,794 --> 00:48:01,879 - [Narrator] It's about two male penguins 884 00:48:01,879 --> 00:48:03,797 who care for an abandoned baby penguin. 885 00:48:04,256 --> 00:48:05,340 - [Reporter] The book has been labeled 886 00:48:05,340 --> 00:48:08,135 a tool for so-called grooming. 887 00:48:09,011 --> 00:48:11,138 - [Martha] Maurice Sendak's "In the Night Kitchen", 888 00:48:11,471 --> 00:48:12,639 they drew pants. 889 00:48:14,182 --> 00:48:15,976 - You're getting to the point of 890 00:48:16,226 --> 00:48:19,563 talking about a period as sexually explicit. 891 00:48:20,272 --> 00:48:21,273 Under the new law, 892 00:48:21,273 --> 00:48:23,734 "Lord of the Rings" is considered being inappropriate. 893 00:48:24,902 --> 00:48:27,654 There's some Facebook moms group 894 00:48:27,654 --> 00:48:32,659 that said that Pandas symbolized something. 895 00:48:34,036 --> 00:48:36,830 - [Martha] The graphic novel of the diary of Anne Frank. 896 00:48:39,708 --> 00:48:42,044 - [Julie] Yep, there's your nudity right there. 897 00:48:43,962 --> 00:48:48,967 - And "Maus", which has to do with mouse nudity 898 00:48:49,509 --> 00:48:51,178 in a concentration camp. 899 00:48:52,346 --> 00:48:54,222 When they go after the books, 900 00:48:54,348 --> 00:48:56,308 what they're really going after 901 00:48:56,516 --> 00:49:01,021 is those kids that come into my library for a safe space, 902 00:49:01,271 --> 00:49:03,065 and I cannot abide that. 903 00:49:03,357 --> 00:49:05,943 (somber music) 904 00:49:06,485 --> 00:49:08,820 (cars whirring) 905 00:49:08,820 --> 00:49:10,489 It is part of the ethics of our profession 906 00:49:10,489 --> 00:49:15,494 to support the First Amendment and to fight censorship. 907 00:49:16,119 --> 00:49:17,704 That's what I've been trained to do. 908 00:49:25,128 --> 00:49:27,881 - The North Hunterdon-Voorhees Regional High School 909 00:49:27,881 --> 00:49:30,300 District Board of Education meeting on Tuesday, 910 00:49:30,300 --> 00:49:32,761 January 30th is now called to order. 911 00:49:34,554 --> 00:49:38,392 - If I were a younger person, I may have left by now, 912 00:49:39,685 --> 00:49:43,021 but I believe firmly in what's right. 913 00:49:43,522 --> 00:49:46,650 And then I also believe firmly in my students. 914 00:49:46,984 --> 00:49:49,653 - If I were to say to the board or someone at school, 915 00:49:49,653 --> 00:49:52,406 "You are a vile and disgusting C word 916 00:49:52,406 --> 00:49:54,074 and a danger to young people", 917 00:49:54,074 --> 00:49:56,618 I could and should be escorted out of this building 918 00:49:56,618 --> 00:49:57,411 by the police. 919 00:49:57,661 --> 00:49:59,788 This is the exact language that has been sent 920 00:49:59,788 --> 00:50:02,249 to our school librarian by a group 921 00:50:02,249 --> 00:50:04,001 led by the spouse of someone on the board. 922 00:50:04,209 --> 00:50:06,837 - If you wanna get rid of and censor books, 923 00:50:06,837 --> 00:50:09,089 you are no different than a fascist, 924 00:50:09,089 --> 00:50:13,176 for every fascist movement began the same exact way. 925 00:50:13,468 --> 00:50:16,221 You're here to ban books with gay characters, 926 00:50:16,221 --> 00:50:18,849 you might as well be here to start the Fourth Reich. 927 00:50:18,974 --> 00:50:20,183 (audience applauding) (audience cheering) 928 00:50:20,183 --> 00:50:21,977 - You want him out. - Yes! 929 00:50:22,811 --> 00:50:24,813 - You guys cursed at my fucking children 930 00:50:24,813 --> 00:50:26,356 at your fucking book banning meeting! 931 00:50:26,356 --> 00:50:29,401 You guys all cursed at my fucking children. 932 00:50:29,401 --> 00:50:32,154 (loud commotion) 933 00:50:36,199 --> 00:50:38,952 (loud commotion) 934 00:50:43,665 --> 00:50:46,084 (keys clacking) 935 00:50:46,585 --> 00:50:49,004 (people murmuring) 936 00:50:50,130 --> 00:50:53,633 - The book itself, "Queerfully and Wonderfully Made", 937 00:50:54,968 --> 00:50:56,720 that's a going against the scripture, 938 00:50:57,262 --> 00:50:58,930 it's fearfully and wonderfully made. 939 00:50:59,514 --> 00:51:00,640 And that's what we are. 940 00:51:00,974 --> 00:51:04,853 I could go through the whole chapter of the Bible. 941 00:51:05,228 --> 00:51:07,397 - If this book is considered nonfiction, 942 00:51:07,397 --> 00:51:09,274 and it is including Christianity. 943 00:51:10,150 --> 00:51:11,610 The Bible doesn't support this, 944 00:51:11,610 --> 00:51:15,322 so that already debunks the nonfiction status of this book. 945 00:51:15,322 --> 00:51:17,074 So we're talking about pornography. 946 00:51:17,949 --> 00:51:19,451 - I was born and raised in Holden. 947 00:51:20,035 --> 00:51:22,621 I'm also trans-feminine and I'm a queer person. 948 00:51:23,789 --> 00:51:25,957 I don't think y'all understand what it's like 949 00:51:25,957 --> 00:51:27,542 to grow up in an environment like this 950 00:51:27,959 --> 00:51:30,629 where even your family members are constantly telling you 951 00:51:30,629 --> 00:51:32,172 that you're gonna burn in hell. 952 00:51:33,006 --> 00:51:36,384 Books like this say, "Hey, you are loved. 953 00:51:36,968 --> 00:51:40,889 There is a community that will be there for you." 954 00:51:42,349 --> 00:51:44,017 Sorry, my anxiety is running very high, 955 00:51:44,017 --> 00:51:47,020 because I can tell that y'all very much misunderstand us. 956 00:51:47,646 --> 00:51:51,983 This require (stammering) 957 00:51:51,983 --> 00:51:52,818 Thank you. 958 00:51:54,361 --> 00:51:57,531 (audience applauding) 959 00:51:59,825 --> 00:52:02,410 (somber music) 960 00:52:04,913 --> 00:52:07,290 - Hello, my name is Amanda Jones. 961 00:52:08,125 --> 00:52:09,292 The great thing about books 962 00:52:09,292 --> 00:52:12,796 is that we all have different ways that we interpret them. 963 00:52:13,922 --> 00:52:18,051 I read this book and I interpret it as meaning 964 00:52:18,385 --> 00:52:20,637 a push for love and acceptance. 965 00:52:22,097 --> 00:52:23,932 It was written by pastors 966 00:52:23,932 --> 00:52:28,061 and mental health professionals for Christians. 967 00:52:28,562 --> 00:52:31,606 This book is not in the children's picture book section. 968 00:52:31,815 --> 00:52:34,901 It is in the teen nonfiction section, 969 00:52:35,110 --> 00:52:38,572 where it belongs because it was written for teens. 970 00:52:39,030 --> 00:52:40,866 Monitor your own children, 971 00:52:41,241 --> 00:52:44,369 don't let your children read it if you don't want to. 972 00:52:44,578 --> 00:52:46,705 No one's forcing you to check it out. 973 00:52:47,205 --> 00:52:50,667 LGBTQ youth who report having at least one accepting adult 974 00:52:50,667 --> 00:52:53,503 are 40% less likely to attempt suicide. 975 00:52:54,421 --> 00:52:57,215 Some kids don't have those adults in their life. 976 00:52:58,258 --> 00:53:03,847 I have lost over 12 students who were ostracized 977 00:53:04,264 --> 00:53:08,185 because they were made to feel less than in this parish. 978 00:53:08,185 --> 00:53:10,103 And I feel it right now, 979 00:53:10,103 --> 00:53:12,147 even though I'm not from that community, 980 00:53:12,439 --> 00:53:15,859 from the hate that's coming from some people in this room. 981 00:53:16,401 --> 00:53:18,195 It would be easy to move this book 982 00:53:18,195 --> 00:53:21,323 and placate a few people for the sake of bypassing drama. 983 00:53:21,323 --> 00:53:22,699 It would be easy. 984 00:53:23,700 --> 00:53:27,245 But sometimes doing what's easy is not what's right. 985 00:53:30,165 --> 00:53:33,001 (sparse applause) 986 00:53:34,753 --> 00:53:36,630 - The board would like to protect children 987 00:53:36,838 --> 00:53:38,173 from inappropriate material 988 00:53:38,173 --> 00:53:40,675 and would prefer to remove the challenged materials 989 00:53:40,675 --> 00:53:43,136 while the library processes its request. 990 00:53:47,474 --> 00:53:50,143 - I'll be damned if we're gonna lose another kid 991 00:53:50,644 --> 00:53:52,687 because of something our community has done 992 00:53:52,687 --> 00:53:54,064 to make them feel less. 993 00:53:56,816 --> 00:53:58,735 I've had former students reach out to me 994 00:53:59,277 --> 00:54:01,154 that have told me books have saved them. 995 00:54:01,655 --> 00:54:04,658 And then there's the kids that grew up and killed themselves 996 00:54:05,033 --> 00:54:07,577 because they were ostracized in our community 997 00:54:07,577 --> 00:54:08,828 for who they are. 998 00:54:09,663 --> 00:54:14,542 And if I was silent, my silence would be my compliance, 999 00:54:14,542 --> 00:54:18,463 and I'm not going to be complicit in the death of children 1000 00:54:19,714 --> 00:54:23,009 or even the hurtful feelings, 1001 00:54:23,009 --> 00:54:25,428 I'm not gonna participate in that anymore. 1002 00:54:26,471 --> 00:54:29,766 'Cause even though I didn't actively participate in before, 1003 00:54:29,766 --> 00:54:32,018 I was silent and I saw stuff, 1004 00:54:32,435 --> 00:54:34,104 and I'm not gonna do that anymore. 1005 00:54:34,562 --> 00:54:36,481 I'm gonna speak out about it, so. 1006 00:54:36,481 --> 00:54:38,525 - This is my strong willed child and I thought, 1007 00:54:38,525 --> 00:54:41,945 "Mm-mm, she's not gonna lay down and take this." 1008 00:54:43,989 --> 00:54:46,574 (somber music) 1009 00:54:50,453 --> 00:54:53,331 (keys clacking) 1010 00:54:58,169 --> 00:55:00,588 - Our district was doing an okay job before this. 1011 00:55:01,006 --> 00:55:02,424 Was it perfect? No. 1012 00:55:02,716 --> 00:55:04,259 But they were doing a pretty darn good job, 1013 00:55:04,634 --> 00:55:06,052 and they were watching out for our kids, 1014 00:55:06,052 --> 00:55:08,847 and they were trying to keep their own personal politics 1015 00:55:08,847 --> 00:55:10,181 out of the decision making. 1016 00:55:10,348 --> 00:55:11,766 But that's not what we're doing anymore. 1017 00:55:11,933 --> 00:55:14,269 Now it's all the culture wars of America 1018 00:55:14,269 --> 00:55:16,438 are just right smack dab right here 1019 00:55:16,438 --> 00:55:17,731 in the middle of my kid's school district. 1020 00:55:19,524 --> 00:55:21,484 - [Narrator] After more than a year of controversy, 1021 00:55:21,484 --> 00:55:25,697 Keller ISD voted to ban books about gender identity. 1022 00:55:25,697 --> 00:55:29,492 - [Children] I pledge allegiance to thee, Texas, 1023 00:55:29,492 --> 00:55:33,079 one state under God, one and indivisible. 1024 00:55:33,413 --> 00:55:36,416 (people chattering) 1025 00:55:42,881 --> 00:55:44,758 - Hi, I'm Laney. 1026 00:55:44,841 --> 00:55:47,510 I'm a mom of four kids in Keller ISD. 1027 00:55:47,635 --> 00:55:50,138 As soon as our new Patriot Mobile school board was elected, 1028 00:55:50,138 --> 00:55:51,848 your top priority was to disregard 1029 00:55:51,848 --> 00:55:54,267 all the parent district and community input. 1030 00:55:54,434 --> 00:55:56,311 Since then, you've created a hateful, 1031 00:55:56,311 --> 00:55:57,854 contradictory, nonsensical, 1032 00:55:57,854 --> 00:56:00,482 and unconstitutional book banning rubric. 1033 00:56:01,441 --> 00:56:03,401 You are also passing a policy tonight 1034 00:56:03,401 --> 00:56:05,028 that gives you the power to hire 1035 00:56:05,028 --> 00:56:06,988 and fire every employee in the district 1036 00:56:06,988 --> 00:56:09,657 all the way down to the cafeteria workers. 1037 00:56:09,657 --> 00:56:12,452 You don't trust your admin, you don't trust your principals, 1038 00:56:12,452 --> 00:56:15,372 you don't trust your teachers, you don't trust the parents. 1039 00:56:15,372 --> 00:56:17,165 You are coming for teachers and librarians, 1040 00:56:17,165 --> 00:56:19,125 you've made it clear, and they know it. 1041 00:56:20,543 --> 00:56:23,755 We have a movement within America that has decided 1042 00:56:23,755 --> 00:56:25,590 that school boards are now where they want 1043 00:56:25,590 --> 00:56:27,008 to push their agenda. 1044 00:56:28,176 --> 00:56:31,930 (driving instrumental music) 1045 00:56:33,264 --> 00:56:34,641 - [Narrator] Patriot Mobile. 1046 00:56:34,641 --> 00:56:36,267 They aren't just a wireless provider, 1047 00:56:36,267 --> 00:56:38,103 they are a political movement. 1048 00:56:38,103 --> 00:56:41,064 Up to 5% of every Patriot Mobile phone bill 1049 00:56:41,064 --> 00:56:43,191 goes directly to supporting Patriot Mobile's 1050 00:56:43,191 --> 00:56:44,609 political action committee. 1051 00:56:44,609 --> 00:56:47,404 - We need to put our money behind companies 1052 00:56:47,404 --> 00:56:48,405 that share our values. 1053 00:56:48,405 --> 00:56:51,533 I'm looking at Glenn over here from Patriot Mobile. 1054 00:56:51,533 --> 00:56:52,826 - We know that Patriot Mobile, 1055 00:56:52,826 --> 00:56:54,661 they admitted to coming into our communities 1056 00:56:54,661 --> 00:56:56,121 and interviewing people 1057 00:56:56,121 --> 00:56:58,206 and finding who they thought would best represent 1058 00:56:58,206 --> 00:57:00,291 their interests, and that's who they backed 1059 00:57:00,291 --> 00:57:02,377 with the hundreds of thousands of dollars. 1060 00:57:03,628 --> 00:57:06,631 It wasn't until we started getting these mailers 1061 00:57:06,923 --> 00:57:08,925 that we realized what was happening. 1062 00:57:10,176 --> 00:57:12,595 We're talking probably 7, 8, 9, 10 flyers 1063 00:57:12,595 --> 00:57:13,471 these people are getting 1064 00:57:13,972 --> 00:57:16,141 covered with images of crying children 1065 00:57:16,141 --> 00:57:18,268 and saying they've been exposed to porn in school, 1066 00:57:18,476 --> 00:57:21,563 and your kid is being made to feel guilty for being white. 1067 00:57:21,771 --> 00:57:24,149 All of these things that are just simply untrue. 1068 00:57:25,024 --> 00:57:26,776 And then we started sharing them online 1069 00:57:26,985 --> 00:57:29,863 and then we found out the school districts neighboring ours 1070 00:57:29,863 --> 00:57:33,950 had the exact same flyers paid for by the exact same pack, 1071 00:57:34,951 --> 00:57:36,035 but just with the pictures 1072 00:57:36,035 --> 00:57:38,246 of the candidates inter swapped with theirs. 1073 00:57:39,456 --> 00:57:40,915 And we were like, "Oh my goodness, 1074 00:57:40,915 --> 00:57:44,461 this is a large scale, coordinated effort 1075 00:57:44,461 --> 00:57:47,338 to take over school boards across the state of Texas." 1076 00:57:47,797 --> 00:57:50,008 - One of the keys is the school boards, right? 1077 00:57:50,008 --> 00:57:52,552 The school boards are the key that picks the lock. 1078 00:57:53,428 --> 00:57:55,763 - This was their blueprint and they succeeded. 1079 00:57:56,431 --> 00:57:59,476 They backed 11 candidates in North Texas. 1080 00:57:59,476 --> 00:58:03,730 All 11 candidates won and now they hold a majority, 1081 00:58:04,105 --> 00:58:05,732 and the president, vice president, 1082 00:58:05,732 --> 00:58:07,734 and secretary on all four school boards 1083 00:58:07,734 --> 00:58:09,110 that they decided to fund. 1084 00:58:09,527 --> 00:58:11,446 And they're going to continue to spread it. 1085 00:58:11,446 --> 00:58:13,406 - We're focused on school boards here for now, 1086 00:58:13,406 --> 00:58:17,160 but our goal is to spread this as large as we can 1087 00:58:17,160 --> 00:58:18,578 to other states and other communities 1088 00:58:18,578 --> 00:58:20,747 that are quite frankly wanting 1089 00:58:20,747 --> 00:58:23,082 what we're doing here in their communities. 1090 00:58:23,625 --> 00:58:26,294 (cars whirring) 1091 00:58:27,754 --> 00:58:32,759 (door clicking) (keys jangling) 1092 00:58:32,926 --> 00:58:33,468 (door clicking) 1093 00:58:46,856 --> 00:58:48,900 - They had the school board meeting 1094 00:58:48,900 --> 00:58:53,488 completely packed with people. - Oh, I'm sure. I'm sure. 1095 00:58:54,364 --> 00:58:56,366 - Somebody told me this morning to go online 1096 00:58:56,366 --> 00:58:57,951 and look at the Republican Club, 1097 00:58:57,951 --> 00:59:00,578 they had some meeting, I guess, last week, 1098 00:59:00,662 --> 00:59:02,664 and it was all about book banning. 1099 00:59:02,830 --> 00:59:06,793 And they had speakers come in, so they got 'em all riled up 1100 00:59:07,001 --> 00:59:08,711 and gave them all their talking points 1101 00:59:08,711 --> 00:59:11,130 so that they could all come to this meeting 1102 00:59:11,130 --> 00:59:14,133 and completely drown anybody else's voices out. 1103 00:59:14,133 --> 00:59:15,343 That's what they did. 1104 00:59:15,843 --> 00:59:17,053 That's what they do. 1105 00:59:17,220 --> 00:59:18,972 - Well, you know, 1106 00:59:18,972 --> 00:59:22,850 a lot of these people actually make threats, you know, 1107 00:59:22,850 --> 00:59:25,562 about having a gun, and yada, yada, yada. 1108 00:59:25,562 --> 00:59:26,688 - Mm. 1109 00:59:26,980 --> 00:59:31,109 - They drive around in trucks with, you know... 1110 00:59:31,109 --> 00:59:33,611 - Confederate flags. - Yeah, confederate flags 1111 00:59:33,611 --> 00:59:35,822 and those secret organizations 1112 00:59:35,822 --> 00:59:37,240 that are not secret. - Oath Keepers, 1113 00:59:37,240 --> 00:59:39,450 Three Percenters. - Yeah, Three Percenters. 1114 00:59:39,450 --> 00:59:41,160 - Yeah, you see that all the time. 1115 00:59:41,828 --> 00:59:46,749 It's just so ate up with hate. - Yeah. 1116 00:59:46,749 --> 00:59:49,586 - [Adrienne] And there's not enough voices countering it. 1117 00:59:50,670 --> 00:59:53,464 - [Board Member] Of the United States and of this state. 1118 00:59:53,464 --> 00:59:56,301 - [Both] Of the United States and of this state. 1119 00:59:56,301 --> 00:59:58,177 - So help me God. - So help me God. 1120 00:59:58,177 --> 00:59:59,804 - Congratulations. - Thank you. 1121 00:59:59,804 --> 01:00:01,472 (audience applauding) 1122 01:00:01,472 --> 01:00:02,765 - I ran on this platform. 1123 01:00:04,017 --> 01:00:05,393 The porn, and the grooming, 1124 01:00:05,393 --> 01:00:07,228 and pedophiles in schools. 1125 01:00:10,356 --> 01:00:12,734 I felt like it was there, 1126 01:00:12,734 --> 01:00:15,236 people just didn't know or they didn't know where to look, 1127 01:00:15,236 --> 01:00:18,364 and I was gonna find it, doggonit. 1128 01:00:18,364 --> 01:00:21,242 So that's what I did, that's why I ran. 1129 01:00:23,077 --> 01:00:24,537 And so I did the research. 1130 01:00:25,830 --> 01:00:30,293 I was expecting to find something that would relate 1131 01:00:30,293 --> 01:00:33,713 to what they were saying, but nothing even came close. 1132 01:00:33,713 --> 01:00:36,174 I mean, it didn't even come close. 1133 01:00:36,174 --> 01:00:38,343 It just became very apparent 1134 01:00:38,343 --> 01:00:42,680 that what they were trying to tell parents 1135 01:00:42,680 --> 01:00:45,099 and what was actually happening in our schools 1136 01:00:45,099 --> 01:00:46,768 were two completely different things. 1137 01:00:47,226 --> 01:00:48,645 (upbeat music) 1138 01:00:48,645 --> 01:00:53,566 - This was just complete sexualization of the kids, 1139 01:00:53,566 --> 01:00:56,235 and it's not stopping, it's not going backwards, 1140 01:00:56,235 --> 01:00:57,945 it's moving forward. 1141 01:00:57,945 --> 01:00:59,822 - It's moving full steam ahead. 1142 01:01:01,115 --> 01:01:02,950 - Our mission on "The Blue Shark Show" 1143 01:01:02,950 --> 01:01:05,828 was to bring transparency to our local government. 1144 01:01:05,828 --> 01:01:08,623 - It pains me to say that GISD, 1145 01:01:08,623 --> 01:01:10,875 through the inaction of the board of trustees 1146 01:01:10,875 --> 01:01:13,002 and the upper level administrators, 1147 01:01:13,002 --> 01:01:16,005 are grooming your children. 1148 01:01:16,005 --> 01:01:18,800 - The ah-ha moment for me was a conversation 1149 01:01:18,800 --> 01:01:22,011 I had with one of my former co-hosts. 1150 01:01:22,178 --> 01:01:24,347 I felt we need to let our community know 1151 01:01:24,347 --> 01:01:26,307 that it's not in the schools. 1152 01:01:26,307 --> 01:01:30,269 And he told me to stop talking to my fellow trustees, 1153 01:01:30,561 --> 01:01:32,855 just to completely cut off communication. 1154 01:01:35,066 --> 01:01:37,485 - Granbury races for the trustees. 1155 01:01:37,485 --> 01:01:39,862 We've got three positions that are up. 1156 01:01:39,862 --> 01:01:42,073 If you want more morally sound schools 1157 01:01:42,073 --> 01:01:43,991 that don't have satanic cartoon porn 1158 01:01:44,158 --> 01:01:45,660 - Yep. - And Jihadi sympathizer 1159 01:01:45,785 --> 01:01:48,496 material in the library, this is a no brainer. 1160 01:01:48,913 --> 01:01:49,914 - They wanted to flip the board, 1161 01:01:49,914 --> 01:01:51,040 they wanted to flip the commissioner's court, 1162 01:01:51,040 --> 01:01:53,668 they wanna flip the city council every level of government 1163 01:01:53,668 --> 01:01:56,462 here locally to get their candidates in. 1164 01:01:56,462 --> 01:01:57,922 When you're trying to get people 1165 01:01:57,922 --> 01:02:00,174 in every level of government, 1166 01:02:00,174 --> 01:02:02,427 something else is going on behind the scenes. 1167 01:02:04,595 --> 01:02:07,598 I refused to do their bidding and I said, 1168 01:02:07,598 --> 01:02:10,935 "No, I'm not doing that. That's not right." 1169 01:02:11,102 --> 01:02:15,022 Now I'm enemy number one with them, surprise, surprise. 1170 01:02:15,314 --> 01:02:17,817 (tense music) 1171 01:02:19,193 --> 01:02:21,821 - Courtney Gore has been a entire and complete 1172 01:02:21,821 --> 01:02:23,281 and total disappointment. 1173 01:02:23,281 --> 01:02:27,160 - Yes, I would say disappointment is a big word. 1174 01:02:27,160 --> 01:02:29,495 And I go back to that culture of, 1175 01:02:29,495 --> 01:02:30,913 do you wanna do the right thing 1176 01:02:30,913 --> 01:02:32,790 and not be liked by everybody? 1177 01:02:33,624 --> 01:02:35,126 - I guess Courtney's woke. 1178 01:02:36,753 --> 01:02:38,796 She woke. - Courtney's woke? 1179 01:02:38,796 --> 01:02:41,215 - I guess she's woke now, is what they're saying. 1180 01:02:41,966 --> 01:02:44,177 - Courtney? - Yes! 1181 01:02:45,803 --> 01:02:47,638 - You can't say there's not porn in schools, 1182 01:02:47,638 --> 01:02:48,681 'cause there is. 1183 01:02:50,391 --> 01:02:52,018 - I knew I was gonna get backlash, 1184 01:02:52,018 --> 01:02:54,145 but I never thought it was gonna rise 1185 01:02:54,145 --> 01:02:55,480 to the level that it did. 1186 01:02:55,772 --> 01:02:57,899 There was a June meeting where a gentleman, 1187 01:02:57,899 --> 01:03:02,487 it was actually his grandfather, came with a firearm. 1188 01:03:03,571 --> 01:03:05,490 - Yeah, I've got something for you too, 1189 01:03:05,490 --> 01:03:06,324 you just wait. 1190 01:03:09,702 --> 01:03:11,245 I don't play with the rules anymore. 1191 01:03:11,245 --> 01:03:13,498 I haven't played with the rules since Vietnam 1192 01:03:14,457 --> 01:03:15,792 and I'm not gonna start now. 1193 01:03:16,584 --> 01:03:19,629 We have profile sheets on Courtney Gore, 1194 01:03:19,629 --> 01:03:20,797 which she's not here. 1195 01:03:21,631 --> 01:03:23,257 Profile sheets, we know what you do, 1196 01:03:23,257 --> 01:03:24,550 we know where you live. 1197 01:03:24,550 --> 01:03:28,304 (people murmuring) - He's threatening. 1198 01:03:29,388 --> 01:03:31,432 - One of my younger brothers came over here 1199 01:03:31,432 --> 01:03:34,143 and actually slept on our front porch that night 1200 01:03:35,019 --> 01:03:36,479 just to make sure we were safe. 1201 01:03:36,479 --> 01:03:38,856 I feel like by talking, 1202 01:03:38,856 --> 01:03:41,025 that is the only way I'm gonna be able to protect myself. 1203 01:03:41,108 --> 01:03:42,693 Like, I have to be vocal, 1204 01:03:43,110 --> 01:03:46,906 and if I'm not, that's when they get the power. 1205 01:03:47,782 --> 01:03:50,785 (chickens clucking) 1206 01:03:55,164 --> 01:03:56,582 - Last day in Granbury. 1207 01:03:58,167 --> 01:04:00,044 We're very excited to be leaving. 1208 01:04:01,003 --> 01:04:03,756 This is a place Mindy and I both grew up in, 1209 01:04:04,715 --> 01:04:06,843 came back to raise our kids in. 1210 01:04:07,677 --> 01:04:10,388 I ran the Baseball and Softball Association, 1211 01:04:10,388 --> 01:04:13,140 I served on the school board, and this place changed, 1212 01:04:13,432 --> 01:04:16,435 people more willing to impose their religion on others, 1213 01:04:16,435 --> 01:04:18,563 discriminate against others. 1214 01:04:18,563 --> 01:04:20,273 We've been fighting for years. 1215 01:04:21,357 --> 01:04:24,277 The book ban is the latest piece. 1216 01:04:25,528 --> 01:04:27,238 - I have a proven conservative record, 1217 01:04:27,238 --> 01:04:29,866 always considered one of the top conservatives in the House, 1218 01:04:29,866 --> 01:04:31,868 whether it's pro-life- - Before the Krause list, 1219 01:04:31,868 --> 01:04:36,747 there had been zero parent requests to review books, 1220 01:04:36,747 --> 01:04:38,499 not even one. 1221 01:04:39,584 --> 01:04:41,502 So why are we doing this? 1222 01:04:42,420 --> 01:04:44,630 My Texas House rep, 1223 01:04:44,630 --> 01:04:47,425 while I was serving on the school board, 1224 01:04:47,758 --> 01:04:49,468 the first time he got elected, 1225 01:04:49,468 --> 01:04:52,555 we met with him as a school board and said, 1226 01:04:52,555 --> 01:04:55,474 "Here's the things we care about in public education. 1227 01:04:55,474 --> 01:04:57,059 We'd love your support." 1228 01:04:58,352 --> 01:05:00,646 He told us, "Yes, yes! Absolutely!" 1229 01:05:01,230 --> 01:05:03,316 And when it came time to vote, 1230 01:05:03,691 --> 01:05:05,818 he voted exactly the opposite. 1231 01:05:06,736 --> 01:05:08,571 I couldn't understand why. 1232 01:05:08,821 --> 01:05:11,574 You told us you were gonna support our schools 1233 01:05:11,574 --> 01:05:13,868 and then you voted against them every time, 1234 01:05:13,868 --> 01:05:17,413 and honestly started to bad mouth our schools. 1235 01:05:17,663 --> 01:05:20,875 And that's truly what made me start digging into money. 1236 01:05:22,001 --> 01:05:25,838 60%, 70% of his money was coming from one source, 1237 01:05:26,172 --> 01:05:29,008 which was a billionaire out in Cisco, Texas. 1238 01:05:57,370 --> 01:05:59,080 (somber music) 1239 01:05:59,538 --> 01:06:01,749 - [Chris] I did the thing that people do, right? 1240 01:06:01,749 --> 01:06:04,835 When you discover something, is you put it on Facebook 1241 01:06:04,835 --> 01:06:07,254 or you put it on Twitter and you talk about it. 1242 01:06:08,547 --> 01:06:10,967 - Our schools are not to be used 1243 01:06:10,967 --> 01:06:13,302 for personal political agendas, 1244 01:06:13,302 --> 01:06:16,347 and our children are here for education, 1245 01:06:16,472 --> 01:06:18,724 not religious indoctrination. 1246 01:06:18,724 --> 01:06:23,062 Go tell your pastor, "Our schools are not your church." 1247 01:06:23,062 --> 01:06:23,896 Thank you. 1248 01:06:25,439 --> 01:06:27,066 - I'm good at spreadsheets. 1249 01:06:27,066 --> 01:06:29,986 So I built pie charts, and yeah, 1250 01:06:29,986 --> 01:06:31,862 I built a site to make it go. 1251 01:06:32,029 --> 01:06:33,781 - We have Chris Tackett, 1252 01:06:33,781 --> 01:06:39,203 who is a former trustee of this school board. 1253 01:06:39,537 --> 01:06:41,706 - Pie chart guy for the Texas, 1254 01:06:41,706 --> 01:06:43,416 for all the state reps. - He does pie charts, right? 1255 01:06:43,416 --> 01:06:46,252 - Pie chart man. - For all the conservatives 1256 01:06:46,252 --> 01:06:48,129 to show where all the dark money goes. 1257 01:06:48,129 --> 01:06:50,923 - It was kind of an eyeopener for me to realize 1258 01:06:50,923 --> 01:06:53,467 that there was this bigger agenda behind everything. 1259 01:06:53,467 --> 01:06:54,510 (audience applauding) 1260 01:06:54,510 --> 01:06:55,720 Some of the people 1261 01:06:55,720 --> 01:06:58,264 that are pushing this agenda believe it is their duty 1262 01:06:58,264 --> 01:07:00,016 to take over everywhere, 1263 01:07:00,391 --> 01:07:02,351 government, public schools, media, 1264 01:07:02,351 --> 01:07:04,353 every aspect of our lives. 1265 01:07:04,562 --> 01:07:07,440 - You're going to read about certain verticals 1266 01:07:07,440 --> 01:07:10,776 or structures that the enemy is working on. 1267 01:07:11,485 --> 01:07:15,114 Satan wants to occupy the seat of influence 1268 01:07:15,114 --> 01:07:17,116 over the Supreme Court, over the government, 1269 01:07:17,116 --> 01:07:19,410 over education with indoctrination. 1270 01:07:20,369 --> 01:07:23,164 We are the force that is hindering the devil 1271 01:07:23,164 --> 01:07:24,790 from doing what he wants to do. 1272 01:07:24,957 --> 01:07:28,711 - God takes what the devil meant to harm us 1273 01:07:28,711 --> 01:07:31,380 and He turns it into good. 1274 01:07:31,380 --> 01:07:33,174 He blesses us with it. 1275 01:07:33,716 --> 01:07:35,259 Every time we're attacked at Patriot Mobile, 1276 01:07:35,259 --> 01:07:37,887 our sales just go through the roof. 1277 01:07:38,137 --> 01:07:39,638 We increase our sales. 1278 01:07:39,972 --> 01:07:42,266 And so what does increasing our sales mean? 1279 01:07:42,433 --> 01:07:43,976 It means we can give more money back 1280 01:07:43,976 --> 01:07:46,854 to organizations like Moms for Liberty. 1281 01:07:46,854 --> 01:07:47,813 (audience applauding) 1282 01:07:47,813 --> 01:07:52,359 This is a spiritual war, not a political war. 1283 01:07:52,359 --> 01:07:54,195 (audience applauding) 1284 01:07:54,195 --> 01:07:57,239 - Is the agenda to gain power and money, 1285 01:07:57,239 --> 01:08:00,451 or is it to make our country a Christian theocracy? 1286 01:08:01,410 --> 01:08:03,120 Or are they one and the same? 1287 01:08:03,287 --> 01:08:06,207 (music fading) (flag blowing in wind) 1288 01:08:06,207 --> 01:08:08,209 (keys clacking) 1289 01:08:10,628 --> 01:08:13,255 - Thank you for having me, all of you. 1290 01:08:14,173 --> 01:08:17,843 I moved to Granbury in 2020, and I really hope 1291 01:08:17,843 --> 01:08:20,971 it stands up to the reputation it had when I came. 1292 01:08:21,806 --> 01:08:24,308 The word I have on my heart is repentance. 1293 01:08:24,600 --> 01:08:27,269 Not all of us had a hand in what's happened here, 1294 01:08:27,269 --> 01:08:30,856 but we are the ones who are present to solve the issues. 1295 01:08:31,357 --> 01:08:34,443 The last book I read was 600 plus pages 1296 01:08:34,443 --> 01:08:38,072 and it was a whipping for poor quality, number one, 1297 01:08:38,072 --> 01:08:39,615 but also sexual content. 1298 01:08:39,615 --> 01:08:40,908 And I'm sorry to point fingers, 1299 01:08:40,908 --> 01:08:43,869 but we have librarians who are misunderstanding 1300 01:08:43,869 --> 01:08:45,746 what is healthy and good for children. 1301 01:08:45,746 --> 01:08:49,083 I think you ought to have people of good moral standards, 1302 01:08:49,583 --> 01:08:51,836 people in the community that maybe even are voted on. 1303 01:08:51,836 --> 01:08:54,547 Pastors like Paul Duncan, he would never steer you wrong 1304 01:08:54,547 --> 01:08:56,674 and he'll put you in a safety zone with your books. 1305 01:08:56,674 --> 01:08:58,342 You don't have to have 1306 01:08:58,342 --> 01:09:00,928 these ultra controversial books in your library. 1307 01:09:01,637 --> 01:09:03,472 - Hey TikTok, I got a wild one for ya. 1308 01:09:03,472 --> 01:09:06,559 In 2018, I received this text from my mom 1309 01:09:06,559 --> 01:09:09,395 after coming out and was effectively cut off my family 1310 01:09:09,395 --> 01:09:10,688 and eight younger siblings. 1311 01:09:10,938 --> 01:09:13,566 I came across this video showing my mom speaking 1312 01:09:13,566 --> 01:09:15,234 at a school board meeting in Texas, 1313 01:09:15,234 --> 01:09:17,027 calling for the district to remove books, 1314 01:09:17,027 --> 01:09:19,238 repent, and appoint a pastor to review 1315 01:09:19,238 --> 01:09:20,906 and approve educational material. 1316 01:09:20,906 --> 01:09:23,659 She even filed charges against librarians 1317 01:09:23,659 --> 01:09:24,785 in Granbury, Texas. 1318 01:09:24,910 --> 01:09:26,996 - Literally, you have thousands of books, 1319 01:09:26,996 --> 01:09:30,166 so what harm is it to let go of some of them? 1320 01:09:30,499 --> 01:09:32,459 And that's all I have to say. 1321 01:09:32,751 --> 01:09:34,253 - [Board Member] Thank you Ms. Brown. 1322 01:09:34,503 --> 01:09:39,508 (audience applauding) (audience cheering) 1323 01:09:42,511 --> 01:09:44,054 - Your kids do not go school here. 1324 01:09:44,054 --> 01:09:46,140 - No, they don't. - You're on a political agenda 1325 01:09:46,140 --> 01:09:47,641 and everybody knows what you're doing. 1326 01:09:47,641 --> 01:09:50,561 You're trying to get school staff arrested. 1327 01:09:50,561 --> 01:09:51,604 You've already tried it. 1328 01:09:51,604 --> 01:09:52,730 That's what you're doing 1329 01:09:52,730 --> 01:09:54,607 and we know that's what you're doing. 1330 01:09:54,607 --> 01:09:55,774 - That's fine with me if you know it, 1331 01:09:55,774 --> 01:09:57,484 I'm not hiding anything. 1332 01:09:57,484 --> 01:09:59,612 You'll notice I haven't hid a thing. 1333 01:09:59,612 --> 01:10:00,446 I'm not hiding anything. - Me neither. 1334 01:10:00,446 --> 01:10:02,531 - And I do have a problem with sexually explicit books 1335 01:10:02,531 --> 01:10:03,866 in the library. - I'm sure you do. 1336 01:10:03,866 --> 01:10:05,951 - And expose the wrong. - You're trying to arrest 1337 01:10:05,951 --> 01:10:08,579 librarians, I have nothing to say to you. 1338 01:10:08,579 --> 01:10:11,373 - You're trying to arrest librarians. 1339 01:10:11,373 --> 01:10:13,709 - You're trying to arrest librarians. 1340 01:10:13,709 --> 01:10:14,877 You're a fascist. 1341 01:10:14,877 --> 01:10:16,253 You're a fascist. - There you go. 1342 01:10:16,253 --> 01:10:17,087 - Fascist. 1343 01:10:17,087 --> 01:10:18,505 Fascist. Fascist. 1344 01:10:21,050 --> 01:10:23,886 (seagulls cawing) 1345 01:10:26,764 --> 01:10:30,351 - When I moved here to San Diego, I got a bunch of prints. 1346 01:10:30,684 --> 01:10:33,062 My siblings from a few years back, 1347 01:10:33,062 --> 01:10:34,897 one of the last times I got to see them. 1348 01:10:35,064 --> 01:10:38,692 And my partner here, his name's Andrew. 1349 01:10:40,861 --> 01:10:43,030 Growing up, none of my siblings, 1350 01:10:43,030 --> 01:10:44,615 there's nine of us total, 1351 01:10:44,615 --> 01:10:47,451 none of us have stepped foot in a public school. 1352 01:10:49,620 --> 01:10:50,996 Every piece of printed material 1353 01:10:50,996 --> 01:10:53,916 that came into our home was curated by my parents. 1354 01:10:55,793 --> 01:11:00,798 I'm starting a little collection of books. 1355 01:11:01,590 --> 01:11:03,175 It's off to a small start. 1356 01:11:03,175 --> 01:11:06,679 The book that started it all, "All Boys Aren't Blue". 1357 01:11:07,763 --> 01:11:09,223 Right off the bat, this book is saying, 1358 01:11:09,223 --> 01:11:11,100 "Hey, there are some heavy topics. 1359 01:11:12,726 --> 01:11:13,978 Be aware." 1360 01:11:13,978 --> 01:11:16,981 (keys clacking) 1361 01:11:16,981 --> 01:11:18,232 (gentle music) 1362 01:11:18,232 --> 01:11:22,278 It all seems so much smaller and depressing. 1363 01:11:24,738 --> 01:11:27,408 I hope my siblings can make it out unscathed. 1364 01:11:27,408 --> 01:11:28,909 And I'm worried that they're growing up 1365 01:11:28,909 --> 01:11:32,705 in even more extreme circumstances, 1366 01:11:32,705 --> 01:11:37,918 and I hope that they're able to find their own path as well. 1367 01:11:39,503 --> 01:11:42,631 What my parents, the people that my parents learned from, 1368 01:11:42,631 --> 01:11:44,216 are doing is so harmful 1369 01:11:44,216 --> 01:11:47,261 and they deserve to be put back in their lane. 1370 01:11:47,553 --> 01:11:50,139 (gentle music) 1371 01:11:53,142 --> 01:11:55,185 Hello, everyone, my name is Weston Brown. 1372 01:11:55,185 --> 01:11:56,687 I was born and raised in Texas 1373 01:11:56,687 --> 01:11:59,148 and I'm grateful for the opportunity to speak here tonight. 1374 01:11:59,606 --> 01:12:01,734 A few months ago I saw my mom, Monica Brown, 1375 01:12:01,734 --> 01:12:04,278 standing at this podium calling for the removal of books 1376 01:12:04,278 --> 01:12:05,946 and asking the school to follow 1377 01:12:05,946 --> 01:12:07,656 the guidance of a religious leader. 1378 01:12:07,990 --> 01:12:10,492 - [Board Member] Weston Brown. 1379 01:12:20,169 --> 01:12:21,962 - From a young age, I was taught to give a voice 1380 01:12:21,962 --> 01:12:24,256 to people who were disregarded, 1381 01:12:24,256 --> 01:12:26,717 elevate the marginalized, and love my neighbor. 1382 01:12:28,135 --> 01:12:31,138 Today I strive to be the person I needed when I was young. 1383 01:12:31,555 --> 01:12:33,807 Someone who would stand up, speak out, 1384 01:12:33,807 --> 01:12:35,851 and protect the kid that felt alone. 1385 01:12:37,311 --> 01:12:39,271 Growing up we read the Bible cover to cover 1386 01:12:39,271 --> 01:12:41,106 from the earliest age I can remember. 1387 01:12:42,024 --> 01:12:45,652 We repetitively read graphic depictions of sex, violence, 1388 01:12:45,652 --> 01:12:48,447 genocide, sexual assault, and incest. 1389 01:12:49,073 --> 01:12:50,991 However, topics related to dating, 1390 01:12:50,991 --> 01:12:53,285 safe sex, drugs, alcohol, 1391 01:12:53,285 --> 01:12:55,704 or sexual identity were deemed inappropriate 1392 01:12:55,704 --> 01:12:57,289 or too heavy to discuss. 1393 01:12:58,123 --> 01:13:00,876 I would've given anything to read a book with a character 1394 01:13:00,876 --> 01:13:02,503 that felt the feelings I felt, 1395 01:13:03,837 --> 01:13:05,756 ask the questions I couldn't ask, 1396 01:13:06,215 --> 01:13:08,592 and learned the lessons that I needed to learn. 1397 01:13:09,718 --> 01:13:12,638 It's been nearly five years since I came out to my family. 1398 01:13:17,393 --> 01:13:20,437 I'm not allowed to join in family celebrations or holidays 1399 01:13:20,729 --> 01:13:23,107 or be a part of my eight younger siblings lives, 1400 01:13:24,024 --> 01:13:25,734 solely because I'm not straight. 1401 01:13:27,152 --> 01:13:30,739 I am here today to implore you to listen to librarians, 1402 01:13:31,115 --> 01:13:33,492 educators, and students, 1403 01:13:34,076 --> 01:13:36,453 not those speaking from a religious perspective 1404 01:13:36,537 --> 01:13:39,540 or at the bidding of a political group. 1405 01:13:40,624 --> 01:13:42,376 If you choose to marginalize difference 1406 01:13:42,376 --> 01:13:45,212 and remove representation, you will only cause harm. 1407 01:13:46,588 --> 01:13:48,924 History will remember your decisions 1408 01:13:48,924 --> 01:13:50,509 and demand accountability. 1409 01:13:51,427 --> 01:13:54,138 Show the world that Granbury will not succumb to fear, 1410 01:13:56,640 --> 01:13:57,933 but will shine brightly, 1411 01:13:58,142 --> 01:14:00,602 leading the way for the next generation of Texans. 1412 01:14:00,602 --> 01:14:01,937 Thank you for listening. 1413 01:14:01,937 --> 01:14:06,942 (audience applauding) (audience cheering) 1414 01:14:13,615 --> 01:14:16,452 - [Board Member] Next up we have Monica Brown. 1415 01:14:23,250 --> 01:14:24,168 - Thank you. 1416 01:14:24,168 --> 01:14:26,295 And I knew that was coming what came tonight. 1417 01:14:26,462 --> 01:14:27,379 It's no surprise. 1418 01:14:27,379 --> 01:14:29,214 Not all true, 1419 01:14:30,174 --> 01:14:33,051 but it is true that we have said now in our home 1420 01:14:33,051 --> 01:14:34,928 for what we expect in our family. 1421 01:14:35,971 --> 01:14:38,056 Whether that matters to any of you or not. 1422 01:14:38,515 --> 01:14:39,766 Just as an example, you know, 1423 01:14:39,766 --> 01:14:41,935 in the scripture it says Adam knew Eve. 1424 01:14:41,935 --> 01:14:45,772 That's not the same as saying he stuck his dick in her body, 1425 01:14:45,772 --> 01:14:47,691 but that's what you got in your library. 1426 01:14:47,691 --> 01:14:51,570 Listen, that's what you got. - It's in your library. 1427 01:14:51,570 --> 01:14:56,492 - That's my mom who birthed me, who raised me, 1428 01:14:56,492 --> 01:14:58,243 and fed me, and took care of me. 1429 01:14:58,827 --> 01:15:02,164 Is it some sort of religious psychosis? 1430 01:15:02,664 --> 01:15:06,168 Years of messaging from extremist pastors 1431 01:15:06,168 --> 01:15:07,503 and political leaders? 1432 01:15:09,379 --> 01:15:10,464 'Cause when I look at my mom, 1433 01:15:10,464 --> 01:15:12,841 I see someone who absolutely believes what she's saying, 1434 01:15:13,175 --> 01:15:15,928 and I see someone who looks scared. 1435 01:15:16,053 --> 01:15:17,930 - Thank you for coming. - Thank you so much. 1436 01:15:20,057 --> 01:15:20,891 - Okay. 1437 01:15:25,270 --> 01:15:28,398 - Your mother has been involved in this process. 1438 01:15:28,398 --> 01:15:30,442 What was it like to stand here tonight 1439 01:15:30,442 --> 01:15:32,152 knowing she's here as well. 1440 01:15:32,152 --> 01:15:33,779 - You know, in my mind, 1441 01:15:33,779 --> 01:15:35,280 that wasn't as interesting. 1442 01:15:35,280 --> 01:15:37,074 It wasn't what was top of mind for me. 1443 01:15:37,074 --> 01:15:39,368 I don't have a message for my family, 1444 01:15:39,368 --> 01:15:41,286 or for my mom, or my dad specifically. 1445 01:15:41,286 --> 01:15:44,164 I have brought and said everything that I have to say 1446 01:15:44,164 --> 01:15:47,334 to them in many conversations, many times over. 1447 01:15:47,334 --> 01:15:49,545 And so my perspective tonight isn't to try 1448 01:15:49,545 --> 01:15:51,213 to reach through to my parents, 1449 01:15:51,213 --> 01:15:53,966 that's a conversation that they have the tools they need, 1450 01:15:53,966 --> 01:15:56,343 they know what they need to do to build the bridge. 1451 01:15:56,343 --> 01:15:58,262 But my goal, not my goal, 1452 01:15:58,262 --> 01:16:01,348 my plea is for librarians, educators, 1453 01:16:01,348 --> 01:16:05,102 student, and the boards to pay attention to what matters. 1454 01:16:07,521 --> 01:16:09,481 - [Interviewer] Monica, do you have any comments? 1455 01:16:09,481 --> 01:16:10,899 This is Monica Brown. 1456 01:16:11,233 --> 01:16:13,318 - Monica, we're with NBC 5, 1457 01:16:13,318 --> 01:16:15,779 is there anything that you would like to say? 1458 01:16:17,447 --> 01:16:19,950 (eerie music) 1459 01:16:25,497 --> 01:16:28,000 - I think as librarians, 1460 01:16:28,000 --> 01:16:30,043 we recognize that we're on a continuum. 1461 01:16:31,336 --> 01:16:36,091 That the swing between these polarizing views 1462 01:16:37,342 --> 01:16:38,927 are having catastrophic effects 1463 01:16:38,927 --> 01:16:41,430 on our social structures and our communities. 1464 01:16:41,430 --> 01:16:47,102 - We are on the precipice of some very, very bad things 1465 01:16:47,102 --> 01:16:48,812 happening in this country. 1466 01:16:48,812 --> 01:16:51,231 I just hope and pray that people are waking up. 1467 01:16:52,232 --> 01:16:54,484 - It's gone way beyond the Krause list, honey, 1468 01:16:54,985 --> 01:16:57,070 way beyond the Krause list. 1469 01:16:57,321 --> 01:17:00,532 - We are going to take back our schools. 1470 01:17:00,532 --> 01:17:02,117 - This is what I will do to the grooming books 1471 01:17:02,117 --> 01:17:03,660 when I become Secretary of State. 1472 01:17:03,660 --> 01:17:05,329 (flame thrower roaring) 1473 01:17:05,329 --> 01:17:07,998 (eerie music) 1474 01:17:07,998 --> 01:17:09,333 - [Narrator] Being offended is the basis 1475 01:17:09,333 --> 01:17:10,500 for House Bill 666. 1476 01:17:10,500 --> 01:17:12,294 - [Reporter] They feel that this legislation 1477 01:17:12,294 --> 01:17:14,921 could be used to threaten schools to remove books 1478 01:17:14,921 --> 01:17:18,842 or face arrest just because someone does not like a book. 1479 01:17:20,594 --> 01:17:23,764 - Is it so hurtful to maybe nurture morality? 1480 01:17:23,764 --> 01:17:25,349 Is that so awful to do that? 1481 01:17:25,349 --> 01:17:27,476 - I think that there's going to come a time 1482 01:17:27,476 --> 01:17:30,729 in some of these books where it crosses a criminal line. 1483 01:17:30,729 --> 01:17:33,482 It's called contributing to the delinquency of a minor. 1484 01:17:38,362 --> 01:17:39,363 (body camera beep) 1485 01:17:39,863 --> 01:17:41,281 (suspenseful music) 1486 01:17:41,281 --> 01:17:42,658 - [Scott] Good seeing ya. 1487 01:17:42,658 --> 01:17:45,452 - I had been home for three days, 1488 01:17:46,453 --> 01:17:49,665 and in that last day, 1489 01:17:49,915 --> 01:17:52,250 I had people calling me left and right, 1490 01:17:52,250 --> 01:17:54,294 "Are you okay? What's going on?" 1491 01:17:54,628 --> 01:17:57,047 I was like, "What are you talking about?" 1492 01:17:57,339 --> 01:18:00,342 (suspenseful music) 1493 01:18:01,927 --> 01:18:05,430 - A Hood County constable attempted to bring felony charges 1494 01:18:05,430 --> 01:18:07,140 against three librarians 1495 01:18:07,140 --> 01:18:09,893 for providing students with library books 1496 01:18:09,893 --> 01:18:11,978 the constable deemed obscene. 1497 01:18:13,438 --> 01:18:15,649 - Now, I'm not one of those crazy, 1498 01:18:15,649 --> 01:18:18,235 overthrow the government anarchist types. 1499 01:18:19,403 --> 01:18:22,072 But it is a legitimate question to ask, 1500 01:18:22,739 --> 01:18:25,200 what do you do when your government 1501 01:18:25,200 --> 01:18:27,536 doesn't follow its own rules? 1502 01:18:27,953 --> 01:18:30,956 (suspenseful music) 1503 01:18:32,791 --> 01:18:34,501 How does a sheriff arrest someone 1504 01:18:34,501 --> 01:18:37,170 for violating your constitutional rights? 1505 01:18:37,504 --> 01:18:39,715 I had some complainants come in on Friday 1506 01:18:39,715 --> 01:18:44,177 and talked about making a report about the books. 1507 01:18:44,177 --> 01:18:45,137 - Okay. - Do you know 1508 01:18:45,137 --> 01:18:48,306 if they use student aids in the libraries? 1509 01:18:48,306 --> 01:18:49,015 - Yes. 1510 01:18:49,641 --> 01:18:53,603 - I was told that my library aids were gonna be pulled, 1511 01:18:53,603 --> 01:18:58,191 because for every piece of pornography 1512 01:18:58,191 --> 01:18:59,818 that was found in the library, 1513 01:18:59,818 --> 01:19:03,864 I would be served with one felony for every student. 1514 01:19:04,740 --> 01:19:08,034 - Constable London was trying to tell the librarians 1515 01:19:08,034 --> 01:19:13,039 that if minors had actually put those books on the shelves, 1516 01:19:13,373 --> 01:19:16,418 then it was then elevated to a felony. 1517 01:19:16,960 --> 01:19:18,253 - [Scott] I'm doing a criminal investigation 1518 01:19:18,253 --> 01:19:19,671 into some of your staff. 1519 01:19:20,130 --> 01:19:23,300 Obviously, there's been an allegation of books 1520 01:19:23,300 --> 01:19:27,262 that were in conflict of the penal code in the library. 1521 01:19:27,262 --> 01:19:29,973 Essentially, the librarians are my suspects. 1522 01:19:30,390 --> 01:19:32,058 If they're the ones that are choosing books 1523 01:19:32,058 --> 01:19:34,060 and putting 'em in there, you know, 1524 01:19:34,060 --> 01:19:36,688 they're the ones that are carrying the criminal liability. 1525 01:19:37,189 --> 01:19:39,900 - [Courtney] Constable London was able to get the names 1526 01:19:39,900 --> 01:19:43,737 of the minors that checked out those books. 1527 01:19:43,945 --> 01:19:45,947 To me, as a parent, 1528 01:19:45,947 --> 01:19:48,200 that is extremely concerning, 1529 01:19:48,408 --> 01:19:50,535 (door squeaking) 1530 01:19:50,911 --> 01:19:53,163 - So then I got to tell those poor kids 1531 01:19:53,371 --> 01:19:55,707 that they were not gonna be allowed to be library aids, 1532 01:19:55,707 --> 01:19:56,583 because people are afraid 1533 01:19:56,583 --> 01:19:58,293 that there's pornography in the library. 1534 01:19:58,919 --> 01:20:00,295 - I'm definitely on that list. 1535 01:20:00,295 --> 01:20:03,298 I was in the library literally every single day 1536 01:20:03,298 --> 01:20:04,549 of my senior year. 1537 01:20:04,549 --> 01:20:06,635 That is really, really scary, 1538 01:20:07,969 --> 01:20:16,311 and that is information that can be used in such a evil way. 1539 01:20:16,561 --> 01:20:19,147 - If the student was underage, 1540 01:20:19,147 --> 01:20:21,274 was he gonna go after the parents 1541 01:20:21,525 --> 01:20:23,235 for the kids checking out pornography? 1542 01:20:23,235 --> 01:20:25,153 Was he gonna go after other students 1543 01:20:25,153 --> 01:20:27,864 who may have been 18 at the time? 1544 01:20:30,325 --> 01:20:31,827 - As someone who's not had 1545 01:20:31,827 --> 01:20:34,538 anything to do with breaking the law and that, 1546 01:20:34,538 --> 01:20:36,832 I mean, maybe a speeding ticket, 1547 01:20:36,832 --> 01:20:39,709 but who would've thought child pornography? 1548 01:20:41,127 --> 01:20:43,171 I fear that we are at the point now where 1549 01:20:44,965 --> 01:20:46,883 we're gonna see teachers in handcuffs. 1550 01:20:47,008 --> 01:20:49,219 (suspenseful music) 1551 01:20:53,557 --> 01:20:57,269 - There are forces that want to manipulate 1552 01:20:57,269 --> 01:21:00,939 and to control the dissemination of information. 1553 01:21:02,691 --> 01:21:07,195 Some of us feel that depth of responsibility 1554 01:21:07,362 --> 01:21:10,824 to help our communities navigate. 1555 01:21:11,908 --> 01:21:12,993 That's why we're here. 1556 01:21:12,993 --> 01:21:14,703 Librarians are the firewall. 1557 01:21:16,371 --> 01:21:19,374 (people chattering) 1558 01:21:24,629 --> 01:21:26,965 - [Martha] I happen to come in contact last year 1559 01:21:26,965 --> 01:21:29,551 with our State Senator Andrew Zwicker, 1560 01:21:29,551 --> 01:21:31,386 who after hearing my story, 1561 01:21:31,386 --> 01:21:33,680 put forth the New Jersey Freedom to Read Act. 1562 01:21:34,931 --> 01:21:36,099 (keys clacking) 1563 01:21:38,226 --> 01:21:40,520 I went down to Trenton to testify 1564 01:21:40,520 --> 01:21:43,899 in front of the education committee in favor of the bill. 1565 01:21:44,274 --> 01:21:46,192 - [Board Member] There is a proposed committee substitute, 1566 01:21:46,192 --> 01:21:48,987 which establishes requirements for library material 1567 01:21:48,987 --> 01:21:50,989 and public school libraries 1568 01:21:50,989 --> 01:21:53,575 and establishes protections for school library, 1569 01:21:53,575 --> 01:21:55,285 staff members, and librarians. 1570 01:21:56,328 --> 01:22:00,498 - Being your vast experience over the years in your role, 1571 01:22:00,498 --> 01:22:02,667 do you see a distinction between book banning 1572 01:22:02,792 --> 01:22:05,337 and restricting access to pornography for minors? 1573 01:22:05,337 --> 01:22:06,379 - In my professional role, 1574 01:22:06,379 --> 01:22:09,549 there is no pornography for minors in school library, 1575 01:22:09,549 --> 01:22:11,468 so there is no need to restrict it. 1576 01:22:12,510 --> 01:22:14,638 Book restrictions are, however, 1577 01:22:14,638 --> 01:22:16,097 a form of censorship. 1578 01:22:16,264 --> 01:22:20,060 Your personal opinion about obscenity does not make it so. 1579 01:22:20,602 --> 01:22:21,978 - Thank you for sharing. 1580 01:22:21,978 --> 01:22:24,230 I believe a penis is inappropriate for fifth grade, 1581 01:22:24,230 --> 01:22:25,857 but thank you, we can talk offline. 1582 01:22:25,857 --> 01:22:26,691 Thank you. 1583 01:22:27,609 --> 01:22:29,569 - [Martha] Had I been permitted to speak further, 1584 01:22:29,819 --> 01:22:34,199 I would've reminded her that fifth graders have penises. 1585 01:22:36,117 --> 01:22:39,120 (people chattering) 1586 01:22:43,792 --> 01:22:45,293 - [Reporter] A county in central Texas 1587 01:22:45,293 --> 01:22:49,172 will consider shutting down its entire public library system 1588 01:22:49,172 --> 01:22:52,676 because a federal judge ordered it to return banned books. 1589 01:22:52,676 --> 01:22:54,177 This dispute ultimately led 1590 01:22:54,177 --> 01:22:56,596 to a special meeting in commissioner's court. 1591 01:22:57,847 --> 01:23:01,142 - I am in favor of closing the libraries temporarily 1592 01:23:01,142 --> 01:23:03,061 until we find a solution 1593 01:23:03,061 --> 01:23:05,271 to the pornographic filth we do have. 1594 01:23:05,271 --> 01:23:07,357 - How do we think it's okay that 1595 01:23:07,357 --> 01:23:11,611 the librarians would actually facilitate that and deal that 1596 01:23:11,611 --> 01:23:13,780 like a drug dealer to our kids, 1597 01:23:14,197 --> 01:23:16,324 and now they're becoming porn dealers? 1598 01:23:16,616 --> 01:23:18,702 Is that what our librarians have become? 1599 01:23:20,370 --> 01:23:22,122 - My name is Suzette Baker. 1600 01:23:22,539 --> 01:23:25,542 I'm the former head librarian for Kingsland, Texas. 1601 01:23:25,834 --> 01:23:27,627 I'm also a military veteran. 1602 01:23:28,586 --> 01:23:32,799 The books that are in the library are not pornographic. 1603 01:23:32,799 --> 01:23:34,009 None of them are. 1604 01:23:34,342 --> 01:23:35,301 I would like to know 1605 01:23:35,301 --> 01:23:39,014 how the history of the KKK is pornographic. 1606 01:23:39,681 --> 01:23:43,018 "How to Be an Antiracist," how's that pornographic? 1607 01:23:43,560 --> 01:23:44,477 It's not. 1608 01:23:45,061 --> 01:23:48,231 This is about taking away rights. 1609 01:23:48,773 --> 01:23:50,984 Keep the libraries open, 1610 01:23:51,234 --> 01:23:56,239 keep the information available to all equally. 1611 01:23:56,614 --> 01:23:59,284 This is not a communist nation. 1612 01:23:59,576 --> 01:24:03,955 You do not get to pick our reading material, it is ours. 1613 01:24:05,457 --> 01:24:07,375 - So with that, I'll take a motion. 1614 01:24:13,006 --> 01:24:14,090 - I'll second. 1615 01:24:14,174 --> 01:24:15,800 - The library will remain open. 1616 01:24:15,884 --> 01:24:17,677 We will try this in the courts, 1617 01:24:17,677 --> 01:24:20,889 not through social media or through news media. 1618 01:24:21,389 --> 01:24:24,017 - [Reporter] Libraries in Llano will stay open 1619 01:24:24,017 --> 01:24:27,062 after a passion filled afternoon. 1620 01:24:28,271 --> 01:24:30,190 (Suzette laughing happily) 1621 01:24:30,815 --> 01:24:31,983 - Come here! 1622 01:24:34,402 --> 01:24:35,904 (all laughing together happily) 1623 01:24:35,904 --> 01:24:37,405 It's good to know we're not alone. 1624 01:24:37,739 --> 01:24:40,825 (lighthearted music) 1625 01:24:42,327 --> 01:24:47,499 (keys clacking) (lighthearted music) 1626 01:24:48,291 --> 01:24:50,585 - Hey, you! How are you? - Hey! 1627 01:24:50,585 --> 01:24:51,503 Good! How are you? 1628 01:24:51,503 --> 01:24:55,632 I'm proud of you, I forgot my FReadom shirt at home! 1629 01:24:55,632 --> 01:24:56,966 Will you take a picture of me beside it? 1630 01:24:57,175 --> 01:24:58,802 - Yes! I just took a picture. 1631 01:24:58,802 --> 01:25:01,888 (lighthearted music) 1632 01:25:05,058 --> 01:25:06,267 - I couldn't be more delighted 1633 01:25:06,267 --> 01:25:08,394 to introduce Amanda Jones to you, 1634 01:25:08,394 --> 01:25:10,522 author of "That Librarian", 1635 01:25:10,522 --> 01:25:12,899 part memoir, part manifesto. 1636 01:25:12,899 --> 01:25:14,234 No one should have to endure 1637 01:25:14,234 --> 01:25:16,236 everything that Amanda has had to endure, 1638 01:25:16,236 --> 01:25:19,197 and I fear that other people in this room 1639 01:25:19,197 --> 01:25:21,157 may have had similar experiences. 1640 01:25:21,533 --> 01:25:25,036 We are so grateful for all you do on the front lines. 1641 01:25:25,036 --> 01:25:29,040 (audience applauding) 1642 01:25:29,040 --> 01:25:30,667 How can you stay? 1643 01:25:32,001 --> 01:25:33,503 - Oh, stay in my town? - Yeah. 1644 01:25:33,503 --> 01:25:34,587 - Oh, it's my town. 1645 01:25:34,587 --> 01:25:35,797 They can all go to hell. 1646 01:25:36,089 --> 01:25:38,049 (laughing together) 1647 01:25:38,049 --> 01:25:41,219 (audience applauding) 1648 01:25:42,053 --> 01:25:44,013 - You my hero, you know that, right? 1649 01:25:44,013 --> 01:25:46,432 - Thank you. - You absolutely my hero. 1650 01:25:48,268 --> 01:25:50,061 (camera beeping) 1651 01:25:51,980 --> 01:25:54,983 (suspenseful music) 1652 01:26:03,908 --> 01:26:05,493 - I don't know what's gonna happen next. 1653 01:26:06,703 --> 01:26:11,708 I cannot imagine us being on a cliff, that's just too much. 1654 01:26:12,000 --> 01:26:14,335 (suspenseful music) 1655 01:26:15,044 --> 01:26:18,381 But I don't know, maybe we are and we've gone over. 1656 01:26:18,673 --> 01:26:21,676 (suspenseful music) 1657 01:26:24,220 --> 01:26:25,471 Our stories have power. 1658 01:26:27,765 --> 01:26:29,601 I can't stay anonymous. 1659 01:26:30,143 --> 01:26:32,020 I can't stay in the shadows anymore. 1660 01:26:35,607 --> 01:26:38,610 (suspenseful music) 1661 01:26:39,903 --> 01:26:42,071 I can't let them keep my story in the dark. 1662 01:26:43,656 --> 01:26:44,782 I won't be censored. 1663 01:26:45,241 --> 01:26:47,535 Just like we can't let them keep censoring 1664 01:26:47,535 --> 01:26:48,953 the stories in our books. 1665 01:26:49,120 --> 01:26:51,789 (suspenseful music) 1666 01:26:52,373 --> 01:26:56,377 What I do know is that our story is still being written, 1667 01:26:58,546 --> 01:27:00,506 but now it's everyone's story. 1668 01:27:00,506 --> 01:27:03,343 (uplifting music) 1669 01:28:44,193 --> 01:28:47,488 (uplifting music fades) 1670 01:28:50,491 --> 01:28:53,494 (suspenseful music) 1671 01:31:30,693 --> 01:31:34,155 (suspenseful music fades)