Last month, MFFE hosted a virtual convening bringing together military-connected families and advocates from across the country to share state and national updates, educate military families on opportunities to be heard, and empower our community to advocate for free expression.
The event opened with Julia Friedman, Legislative Assistant in the office of Representative Jamie Raskin, who shared the Stop Censoring Military Families Act, new legislation aimed at restoring all books removed from Department of Defense Education Activity (DODEA) schools by the Trump Administration and protecting school curricula from political changes. The bill encourages DoDEA schools to use existing review processes, rather than political pressure, when addressing questions about classroom or library materials.
Following the MFFE event, the ACLU shared a major legal victory for free expression: a federal judge ordered DoDEA to return banned books to school shelves. The ruling follows an ACLU lawsuit challenging DoDEA’s removal of titles dealing with race, gender, and sexuality. While the injunction is limited to the schools attended by the plaintiffs, the message is clear: DoDEA’s censorship of books and curriculum materials is unconstitutional. The decision is a clear signal that military-connected students are entitled to the same constitutional protections as their civilian peers. It’s also a powerful reminder of why MFFE exists: to ensure those rights are upheld in every military classroom and community.
MFFE continues to encourage military families to contact their representatives to support the Stop Censoring Military Families Act, given the limited scope of the judge’s order. The legislation also addresses broader impacts and calls for a Government Accountability Office study on the feasibility of creating an independent body to make future curricula determinations at DODEA schools and bars DOD from implementing executive orders from the Trump Administration to remove books from schools.
Take Action: Read MFFE’s comment on the Raskin legislation and call your Representative to voice your support.
Angie Hayden, founder of Read Freely Alabama, shared how she transformed a local protest against censorship into a statewide movement of more than 3,000 advocates. Her group continues to push back on proposed state-level code changes that would make it easier to remove books from public libraries. Follow along and get involved in their efforts here.
The event closed with writer, advocate, and U.S. Marine Corps widow Karie Fugett, author of Alive Day, inspiring attendees with the story of her banned book wagon, a grassroots project bringing challenged titles directly to Alabama communities. She shared her passion for protecting the First Amendment, propelled by the service of her husband who fought and died for this country and our freedoms. Karie also shared her journey as an advocate and encouraged other military families to use their voices to stand up against censorship.
The gathering closed with calls to action:
Join MFFE to stay informed and connect with others fighting for free expression.
Call your Representative to ask them to support the Stop Censoring Military Families Act
Follow MFFE on Facebook andInstagram to keep up with the latest!
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