This post was written by 楼凤天堂 member Cody Miller.
Another night of election results proves that fighting for the freedom to read remains a politically winning issue. Several states held elections on November 7, 2023. These elections don鈥檛 receive the attention presidential and midterm elections garner, but their results have immediate impact on schools and can echo national trends. , it鈥檚 important to consider how advocates are organizing against book bans and securing victories for the freedom to read. Election results from three states paint a picture that should offer hope and a roadmap for educators horrified by the wave of book banning policies.
First, look at Bucks County in Pennsylvania. The Bucks County district results are important given that millions of dollars of outside spending were poured into the race to support advocates of book banning. The goal of such spending, , was to create a groundwork to build support for more book banning efforts moving into next year鈥檚 presidential election. The . However, that trend has met an expiration date as every single Moms for Liberty-endorsed candidate lost their race to opponents who championed the right to read. Once sworn in, the new Bucks County school board will be one where students have access to books and honest curriculum. Equally important, the groundwork meant to bolster future book banning candidates has been demolished by voters and public school advocates.
Next, the results in Iowa illustrate how local organizing is securing wins against book banning politicians. in Cedar Rapids, Linn-Marr, Ankeny, Johnston, Urbandale, Waukee, and West Des Moines. Despite its small size, Iowa looms large in the American political imagination due to its status as a caucus state in presidential elections. The . and has used her office to mimic his approach to public schools. Defeating book banning politicians in Iowa in November 2023 should send a clear message that attacking public schools and intellectual freedom will come with an electoral cost.
Finally, we turn to Virginia. In some ways, Virginia is as much of a weathervane as Florida for our current book banning political landscape. In 2021 . as some journalists predicted a backlash to inclusive curriculum and teaching honest history. Two years later, . To many in the media, Loudon County is a “.” The 2023 results indicate that the freedom to read, supporting LGBTQIA+ students, and standing with public education are key to winning said battle.
Elsewhere in Virginia, Meg Bryce, the late daughter of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, lost her race for school board in Albemarle County to Allison Spillman. and had a . His daughter sought to continue that legacy by enacting anti-LGBTQIA+ policies as a school board member. Spillman, the parent of a trans child, .
There are other races across the country that can provide insight into the current state of book banning in our politics. : banning books is a losing political issue; advocating for the freedom to win is a winning political issue. These wins may not be too surprising given . Additionally, the . Eleven people may be able to currently get hundreds of book bans passed, but their total tally of votes is just that: 11. We can continue to build a coalition to push for the freedom to read.
The results from elections in Pennsylvania, Iowa, and Virginia illuminate what successful organizing and advocating for public schools and the freedom to read can produce. We can learn from and build on this momentum to continue fighting for our students鈥� right to read and our teachers鈥� right to teach. I鈥檝e previously outlined steps educators can take to advocate for the rights of students to read freely. Organizations like and also offer practical, important steps we can take.
Looking ahead, . Both the 2022 midterms and the 2023 state elections have shown us that advocates for the freedom to read can win this battle. Let us thank the organizers and advocates who secured the freedom to read in this last election. Then, let us learn from them and support them in the upcoming year. Our students, teachers, communities, and democracy depend on it.
Cody Miller is an associate professor of English education at SUNY Brockport. During his seven years as a high school English teacher and in his current role, he has positioned texts as vehicles to discuss broader sociopolitical issues in students鈥� lives and worlds. Miller is the editor of English Leadership Quarterly. He was awarded 楼凤天堂鈥檚 LGBTQIA+ Advocacy & Leadership Award in 2022. He can be reached at hmiller@brockport.edu or on X, formerly Twitter, at @CodyMillerELA.
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