Hall Pass: Your Ticket to Understanding School Board Politics, Edition #67 Welcome to Hall Pass, a newsletter written to keep you plugged into the conversations driving school board politics and governance. Ballotpedia · Jun 28, 2023
Why Moms for Liberty was designated an ‘extremist’ group by the Southern Poverty Law Center PHILADELPHIA — Moms for Liberty calls itself a parent empowerment group. But as the polarizing organization arrives in Philadelphia this week for its annual summit, it’s being identified as something else: an “antigovernment extremist group.” The Philadelphia Inquirer · Jun 28, 2023
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will no longer speak at Moms for Liberty summit in Philly PHILADELPHIA — Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the Democratic presidential candidate known for promoting anti-vaccine conspiracy theories, will no longer speak at this week’s Moms for Liberty summit in Philadelphia. The Philadelphia Inquirer · Jun 27, 2023
More groups of historians denounce Moms for Liberty event at American Revolution Museum in Philadelphia PHILADELPHIA — Seven groups of historians have now denounced an upcoming welcome reception at the Museum of the American Revolution for “parental rights” group Moms for Liberty. They’ve written their members, the museum, and one group has canceled an event they had planned at the Old City institution. The Philadelphia Inquirer · Jun 27, 2023
Moms for Liberty chapter quotes Hitler The group tried to add "context" to the Hitler quote after being called out before deleting it entirely Salon · Jun 23, 2023
Moms for Liberty group behind state book bans slammed for flyer quoting Hitler Recently labelled an extremist organization by watchdog groups, Moms for Liberty is now apologizing after issuing a newsletter quoting Adolf Hitler on the front page Daily Mirror · Jun 23, 2023
Far-right group Moms for Liberty tries to explain use of Hitler quote ‘The quote from a horrific leader should put parents on alert,’ the extremist group tried to explain The Independent UK · Jun 23, 2023
A Closer Look At Wisconsin’s School Board Elections This is a newsletter written to keep you plugged into the conversations driving school board politics and governance. Zenger · Jun 13, 2023
Moms for Liberty rises as power player in GOP politics after attacking schools over gender, race At least four Republican presidential candidates are scheduled to travel to Philadelphia later this month to speak at the annual gathering of Moms for Liberty, a Florida-based nonprofit that didn't exist in 2020 but that has become a power player in conservative politics ahead of the 2024 elections The Independent UK · Jun 12, 2023
The SPLC Is Massively Overcounting 'Hate' Groups—and It's Not Just Moms for Liberty At this rate, the Southern Poverty Law Center's notorious hate map might eventually describe everyone as an extremist. Reason · Jun 9, 2023
Moms for Liberty among conservative groups named 'extremist' by civil rights watchdog As the influence of Moms for Liberty grows in some school districts and conservative political circles, the SPLC compares the group's agenda to segregationist efforts of an earlier era. WEKU · Jun 7, 2023
Moms for Liberty named anti-government extremist group by civil rights watchdog The ‘parents’ rights’ agenda taking aim at public education and LGBT+ rights is expanding its reach into state legislatures The Independent UK · Jun 7, 2023
Moms for Liberty listed as ‘anti-government’ group by extremism watchdog The ‘parents’ rights’ group has backed book bans and the removal of discussions of race and LGBTQ+ issues in schools The Guardian - US · Jun 6, 2023
DeSantis appears to back woman who led Amanda Gorman poem school ban Florida governor accuses media of creating ‘ridiculous poem hoax’ after complaint targeted verse recited at Biden inauguration The Guardian - US · May 26, 2023
The Independent UK · May 26, 2023 Latest GOP 2024 hopeful DeSantis 'blazing a trail' on book bans in Republican-controlled states As he vies for the Republican presidential nomination, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is touting a series of measures he has pushed that have led to an upswing in banned or restricted books — not just in Florida schools but in an increasing number of other conservative states
Chicago Sun-Times · May 25, 2023 Moms for Liberty: Their anti-library antics remind me of ‘Peyton Place’ Exactly what these women think “liberty” means is not clear. They are censors and book-banners of great passion and determination. Seriously, how many libertine librarians have you known? A less subversive cohort would be hard to imagine.
The Independent UK · May 25, 2023 Florida mom who tried to ban Amanda Gorman’s book has ties to far-right groups A woman at the centre of a widely derided complaint attended rallies and protests with extremist groups and posted antisemitic content as she joined far-right book ban activism, reports find
Salon · May 25, 2023 Gorman complainer linked to Proud Boys Mother who got poem yanked pushed QAnon and "Protocols of the Elders of Zion," an antisemitic conspiracy theory
Ballotpedia · May 24, 2023 Ballotpedia’s analysis of Wisconsin’s spring school board elections Today, we’re bringing you a special edition of the Brew.
Salon · May 17, 2023 Florida teacher probed over Disney movie The film, “Strange World,” is rated PG and features a character who is very briefly shown to be gay
Salon · May 8, 2023 What has gotten into Republican women? GOP women freak out over losing reproductive rights, but embrace cruelty when it's someone else's rights at stake
The Guardian - US · May 6, 2023 Moms for Liberty, meet John Birch: the roots of US rightwing book bans Matthew Dallek, author of new book Birchers, sees plentiful precedent for censorship efforts in Republican states
WEKU · Apr 24, 2023 Graphic memoir 'Gender Queer' tops U.S. library group's list of most challenged books LGBTQ+-themed books remain the most likely targets of bans at public schools and libraries, the American Library Association says. Maia Kobabe's memoir topped the list for the second year in a row.
The Independent UK · Apr 24, 2023 'Gender Queer' tops library group's list of challenged books A new report says books with LGBTQ+ themes remain the most complained about at public schools and libraries around the country
The Guardian - US · Apr 21, 2023 Rightwing extremists defeated by Democrats in US school board elections Republican-backed culture warrior candidates fare poorly in Illinois and Wisconsin, offering hope to the left