Our nation’s teachers, school librarians, and public librarians are under attack.

As a result of politically motivated groups, hundreds of communities, educators, school and public librarians are being victimized by insidious political campaigns to slander them as pedophiles, groomers, and pornographers. Under the pretext of “protection of minors or new educational directives” laws enacted in over 2 dozen states, librarians and school administrators are at risk from threats of criminal prosecution and civil liability. This unthinkable reality is happening every day in hundreds of schools and public libraries simply from the act of providing access to a book to a student or library patron.

FTLA believes that the actions of recent politically motivated school and library boards are dangerous, anti-American, and a violation of the Equal Protection Clause and other protected rights . The campaigns are designed to remove and hide voices and works from non-white and/or LGBTQ authors and stories related to race or LGBTQ identity. Worse than this alone, is the legal jeopardy our devoted school and public librarians are facing.

As a result, educators and librarians are leaving the profession, moving out of state, and often suffering from pain and guilt where required to comply with new regulations that often codify discriminatory practices. We are asking you to join FTLA as a Legal Advocate. We are recruiting volunteers to guide development of legal resources in support of our mission. And where needed, offer local counsel to advise families, educators and librarians impacted by book banning campaigns.

Please join us by completing this form and indicating how you or your firm can support protected rights and those on the front lines in our schools and libraries.