FLORIDA vs BOOKS AND LIBRARIANS

[@KazMorg2198]

The guy who took a random 8-year old to the library to pull adult books of the shelves has dispproved his own point. He THE ADULT has told the child to pick up books not suitable for the child's age. All it proves is he is willing to use a child in his political games NOT that the library is bad

[@LeonBes]

Parks and Rec has suffered the same fate as the Onion, no longer being considered far fetched satire because of how ridiculous the real world has become.

[@silmarillion666]

Same with The Hard Times!

[@Andree06]

Book banners are ridiculous. It's like, oh no my kid might learn about something new and be tolerant of others 😭😭

[@ReadswithRachel]

More like “I have to only parent my kids? I can’t make rules for everyone else? Boo!”

[@haemocyte2224]

@@ReadswithRachel I don't think they even want to parent their own kids, which is why they want the government to do it for them.

[@Queencereal]

Just wait until the book banners find out about wattpad

[@itsblingblingpop8636]

Well there is a portion of people (not the *same* people but adjacent) who already want to ban AO3 so let's not give them any ideas.

[@Queencereal]

@@itsblingblingpop8636 why must they take everything fun away

[@briannarose2439]

Who wants to ban AO3??

[@onceuponamelody]

Ban it from where? How? It's not like you can access AO3 on a school computer anyway 😂

[@chellyfishing]

Every time someone talks about having “control” of children I feel a little nauseated. Children aren’t supposed to be controlled, they’re supposed to be guided and taught.

[@Ezra-qq2bk]

I’ll never forget reading Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson in freshman year of high school after I had gone through a similar experience as the main character (Being sexually assaulted by a classmate). Because of that experience I had become a truant to avoid seeing the person who assaulted me, my grades and social life were in the gutter. Reading that book and realizing I wasn’t alone helped me get out of that toxic cycle and get justice for myself. Recently I learned that people all over the country are trying to ban that book and it makes me sick to my stomach after everything that book did for me as a young victim of sexual assault.

[@ofthewilderwoods]

Yeah I read What Girls Are Made Of by Elana K. Arnold as a high schooler and that was really impactful to me. It’s heavy material, but important for kids to understand because it discusses real things their peers are going through. So upsetting these books are targeted by people who want to babyproof the world.

[@remem95]

We read Speak in English class at a German High School and I still hold my copy from 11 years ago quite dear. The experience of the MC and the lesson at the end are great and important not just for teens. Its not surprising that some people want to ban a book where a girl stands up to her opressor and learns to ask for help... its just really really sad.

[@jennderqueer]

Rachel, thanks for your tireless efforts.

[@ReadswithRachel]

Thanks for supporting!

[@reagan7460]

​@ReadswithRachel literally watching the clips of you speaking against this are insanely inspirational. I've been an avid watcher of you for awhile now, but I just wanted to leave a comment bc watching you speak out moved me :)

[@n.t.3521]

(Librarian here) we're already so understaffed and doing so many things that are beyond our job description, and people want us to become parents as well. We barely have enough people to keep going, where am I going to take the time from, huh?

[@valmaihanson1989]

As a fat, neurodivergent, youth services public librarian, thank you for putting this book on my radar, Rachel! I pre-ordered it and will recommend my local library purchase it.

[@phoenixashes0013]

I’m just floored by these people. If there are books I don’t want my 5yr old to read, I just talk to him. I go with him and we find cool books together. I guess it’s really hard for some parents to be involved with their kids 😂

[@gustinggrimoire]

Every day im more and more thankful Minnesota banned book bans. what nonsense

[@hannahbrennan2131]

Yeah. Things are far from perfect here, but compared to lots of other states, we're doing pretty good.

[@rubeuspotter719]

When I got caught reading smut at 12 years old, my mom just threw the book away and told me not to read anything like that unless I consulted her first to see what was deemed appropriate for my age. I bought the book so no it wasn’t from a library. You know what my mom DID NOT do? Go to a school or library demanding that they remove a certain book because it had something she didn’t like. Because my mom is responsible and doesn’t turn things on others when her 12 year daughter was sneaky and bought an inappropriate book without asking first. If your child is reading inappropriate books, it’s not because it’s at the school, it’s because your child is grabbing books from public libraries or book stores that you as a parent don’t bother looking through. Like duh??

[@sarahdias7779]

My mother is not even educated and knew the importance of books and took us as children to the library. That was on of the best parts of my childhood.

[@lay1034]

As a young teen, I remember going to the library to spend HOURS with my friends doing summer work for my honors/AP classes. And you know what the librarians did? They would come up to us to remind us when they were handing out free bagged lunches to make sure we ate while we worked. They would even let us take two if there were leftovers after the free lunch hours were up. I have so many positive memories surrounding the library, to the point that now, as someone who works in a school, it is heartbreaking to see people hate this important institution.

[@tessapal]

“The ALA has gone radical” is a wild take. Public libraries are inherently political and intersectional

[@hungrypiano9302]

Every time you show footage from these book banners at your school meetings, I see red. I applaud your incredible strength to stay in that room without exploding into flames listening to them, let alone getting up to speak out against their utter nonsense. Keep fighting the good fight, Rachel!

[@ghostgirl9642]

I live in Chicago and often go inside the local elementary school for my job. They are completely and openly against book bans. The hallway leading to the cafeteria sometimes has printouts on the walls with the covers of banned books and the reasons why they were banned. This is the same hallway that is usually covered in rainbows and other pride decorations, or information about famous or influential queer people and/or POC. The schools here are working to counteract the bans and to keep kids open, informed about what's happening, and not too scared to read something new. I think the school even runs a banned books club for kids where they can read some of these books and have open conversations about them. Also, I wanna add that one of the banned books was the Merriam Webster Collegiate Dictionary. They banned a DICTIONARY for having inappropriate content. These banners are absolute fruitcakes.

[@TashaxMack]

Not the dictionary 💀 wtf

[@Jess_talks_book]

I don't think Michael Owen has ever been in a library, based off of the way he talks about them

[@teslashark]

"damage to souls"

[@mst3kharris]

Re: the Parks and Rec clip, I just want to point out that the reason seniors might need sex ed classes is that they were also not taught about sexually transmitted diseases or how to have safe sex. Because they’re ignorant, STD rates have risen among people 55 and older. From NBC News: “The number of syphilis cases among people ages 55 and up increased seven-fold [from 2012 to 2022], while gonorrhea cases increased nearly five-fold and chlamydia cases more than tripled during that time.” So it’s funny, but there’s a point.

[@rachelny5209]

Just throwing it out there - IT'S NOT ILLEGAL TO BE A MARXIST.

[@finnascrem4088]

You have more patience and self control than I could ever display. I would be struggling to be keeping it together. Your work is important, thank you for it, Rachel 💕

[@SloanePaoPow]

People calling for book banning might as well call for the ban of the internet. If only they knew what their kids have access to online because there isn't anything at the library that can top that. But these are the same adults that believe anything that's online must be true because they saw it online. This is what we get when people have no media literacy 🤦‍♀️

[@TashaxMack]

That’s exactly what im thinking. They can always look this stuff up, lmao.

[@ell-ell_elI]

The clip of the book banners speaking actually made me cringe so hard i had to skip forward a little bit. Theyre actual clowns .

[@teslashark]

They are so boring

[@haggisa]

Not to mention whiny morons. The lady who couldn’t even pronounce “LGBT”? The conspiracy theory nut job suddenly mentioning “the plandemic”? The veteran throwing a tantrum, because he isn’t “allowed” to speak, while actively speaking before a committee?Everything about these people is pathetic and repulsive.

[@mattywren]

When I was 14, I accidentally bought an adult romance novel from the bookstore because I didn’t know adult vs teen romance sections were different. Would you imagine that, my dad looked at it, did some googling at reviews and such, and told me it wasn’t appropriate and brought me to return it. Notice how we didn’t need a law that said booksellers couldn’t sell that book to me as a kid, because my dad was an actual parent??

[@nessaarandur7740]

These people... tell me you don't know how to parent your child without telling me.

[@annathefern9866]

rachel you are so powerful for this. i just wanna take a second to hold you gently by the shoulders and look you in the eyes and tell you. with all the love in my heart. you are a deeply intelligent person. you are thoughtful, analytical, well-spoken, and insightful. it is not easy to parse the word salad that these people are using to fearmonger and confuse their constituents. it is not easy to build clear and concise rebuttals to these defensive, dramatic, emotional fascists. it is not easy to present these arguments to your peers and representatives while they intentionally undermine you at every opportunity. you do not have to internalize this, but i hope you know that it's true: you are smart as fuck.

[@mst3kharris]

Good job advocating for your kids, other kids, and education in general. ❤️❤️❤️

[@midi0070]

Thank you Rachel for standing up for readers (of all ages) at the government level!

[@Ekami-chan]

"if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it's not a fucking chicken" aww xD European here just marveling at the idiocy of book banning, it's depressing people use time like that, travelling around the country to complain about different library or school books what the hell.

[@legendaryfrog4880]

I also have a degree. My professional opinion is these people are all grifters. My degree is in IT, but so what?

[@meetmeatthebookshelf8169]

💜💜💜💜 You’re a fucking superhero

[@NateReadsDiversely]

Seriously!

[@ReadswithRachel]

Love you 🥹❤️

[@inabacklistmood3124]

Knowing that there are people fighting for kids right to access books makes me so happy

[@frankensteinlives]

"We're not asking for books to be banned/censored, we just want books removed/erased, words that are definitely not synonymous with banned/ censored" People will really shove their whole heads up their behind in order to avoid having a critical thought, huh? 🙃

[@sagemustburn]

even school librarians know better. i remember whenever i checked out a mature book my librarian would shake her head and say "no, that's for mature readers" and then she'd look at me and be like "oh, it's you." they know who the mature readers are. at least, mine did. i hope she's alright; she was an older lady when i graduated 10 years ago. [P.S. this was in HIGH SCHOOL]

[@lowlyworm9323]

My mom is a children’s librarian and I’m TOTALLY getting her this book for Christmas!!

[@demi8267]

These people just don't seem to want to actually take an interest in what their kids are doing or reading, they just seem to want to slap rules on everyone else so that they don't have to parent their own children. It's baffling.

[@RileyMasters]

As a former Floridian and former resident of Manatee County, I am so sorry that they contributed to this. I’m livid. I’ve never been so happy to have moved. You are doing the good fight and you are doing it amazingly. Know that you’ve got support all the way out in California!

[@figmentflamingo5397]

You mentioned being semi local to Tampa. I hope you, your family and things are okay after Helene! Thank you for your activism and your detailed videos. I'm in FL as well and your videos about the book bans are helping me be more involved in my local library too

[@anthonythompson6053]

I’m probably gonna hold off on this one, since I also live in this lovely state and see enough of these people already. It’s just too depressing. Thanks for keeping up the good fight! Hope you and yours are alright

[@MortMe0430]

Many of those whiney book banners look old enough that "their kids" are at least older teens who can't stand them, or even adults who ditched them for their rancid vibes (or worse - don't encourage their own kids to spend time with their crusty grandparents) and their precious feelings got hurt over it, and they have to make it everyone else's problem.

[@ReadswithRachel]

That really old blonde ish lady says her daughter wants to make it to meetings and I’m like sure, babe. I’m so sure. Your daughter could email the school board or send you with a note to read. But nope. No daughter in sight. Just that old woman showing up to speak over us actual public schools parents. Again and again. Then there’s Carmen who says “if I had known these books errr on the shelves when my kids were in school I would’ve thrown a fit” like okay babe but you are here throwing a fit and your kids GRADUATED. And the books were there! And NOTHING HAPPENED. And if you were worried about it back then you could’ve sent in a note! Why are they like this 😂😂😂

[@MariaRodriguez-dx6sm]

They definitely look like their children went not-contact with them as soon as they could support themselves and haven't met their grandchildren, and probably never will.

[@9GORGON9]

You are so cool, as a new adult I can only hope to be like you and others that work tirelessly like this. I cant imagine how frustrating sitting in a room with those people is.

[@displacerfloof]

I really appreciate that you're fighting back against this book banning bs. I'm so excited for this book. The Music Man was one of my favorite musicals when I was growing up. Fun fact: the actor that played the con man in the Broadway production of The Music Man AND the original movie was named Robert Preston. Totally filling out my library's request form for this book!

[@thatawkwardgirlpep7548]

This made me so emotional. History repeating itself. That Judge Pat had me in tears. Books were my escape when I started reading. To limit what people read is sickening, child or adult. These people are terrifying in how they push these egendas and pretend they aren't worse than what they think they're advocating for. Disgusting. You're a superhero, Rachel.

[@beccafawnable]

You are so awesome for speaking up against the book banners!

[@hilarylauren6112]

Killing it in the public forums!!! 🙌👏

[@savannahkat4093]

You are absolutely KILLING IT.

[@ofthewilderwoods]

OMG the love interest in My Kind of Trouble is an autistic librarian?! I already put this book on hold but now I’m very excited to read it when it comes in. I’m thrilled that the actual LI is autistic, not just his sister. I’m so tired of the neurodiverse sibling/child as a burden trope

[@ReadswithRachel]

Yes he is! Preston is autistic and he’s raising his sister who’s also autistic

[@WhoCaresAlisha]

I grew up in Alabama. One time (around 2002), I got pulled out of class and called into the library with a group of kids so the staff could confiscate the Anastasia Krupnik books by Louis Lowry. I could tell that our librarian was a bit bummed.That Parks and Rec clip was too real. They tried to ban Harry Potter for "witchcraft" and "satanism" too.

[@acetrainerbee]

Thank you so much for doing all this labor and informing us!

[@Beepboobopp]

Omg queen! I had no idea you got involved in your local politics like this!

[@robinpenn7167]

You are Amazing!! ❤ You're doing such GOOD WORK!!

[@KRUKOLIBIDINOUS]

❤ you Rachel, please keep up the fight! And also please have to-go bags ready for your family, a huge storm is prepping to hit florida and I hope you all stay safe!

[@ReadswithRachel]

Thank you, we are evacuating tomorrow!

[@hearthhobbit]

I really appreciate the work you’ve been doing! I hadn’t heard of My Kind of Trouble before watching this and I will be checking it out from the library or requesting it if it’s not there!

[@insectenthusiasts11]

I respect you and all the other parents immensely. I graduated last year and my school board has issues, but this boards blatant incompetence is at a new level. Thank you for supporting the right to read!

[@milkflavored]

As a Florida resident, THANK YOU for the work that you do. Seeing your efforts makes me want to try too

[@ephemeral_anarchy.]

Your community activism is so awesome and inspiring!

[@killermermaids18]

One of the penguins from that true story recently passed away and his lover sang to him after his passing 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

[@izzygraff2026]

I hope you’re surviving the hurricane! My family there is currently evacuating with their two kids and two dogs. I’m wishing you all luck and safety!!❤

[@ReadswithRachel]

We evacuated with our two kids and two cats! Hope your family stays safe ❤️❤️

[@YasminBook1]

@26:55 we’ll said 👏. Parents, take responsibility. Period.

[@Stonedandbookish]

Hearing the word transexual in 2024 is wild to me

[@ReadswithRachel]

right?

[@LostTimeLady]

My thoughts in referential poetic form: First they came for children's books, but I didn't speak up because I didn't have children. Then they came for the LGBTQIA books, but I didn't speak up because I wasn't part of that community. Then they came for the books on and part of other religions, but I didn't speak up because I was part of those religions. Then they came for erotica, but I didn't speak up because I didn't even know the library stocked them. And finally they came for all the other books, but I didn't speak up ... Because they'd already closed down the library for good.

[@onionfort]

YOLO COUNTY LIBRARY SHOUT OUT!!!! Ugh I love our county libraries

[@ReadswithRachel]

I had my kid in Yolo county hospitals I love that place

[@onionfort]

@@ReadswithRachel agreed. I love my doc

[@lifebreakingin]

Yesss all the Yolo County Library love!!

[@pauieeepau]

Ooh, L.A. Schwartz is the author of a fantasy book in my TBR, A Darker Shore. I'll keep an eye out for her books.

[@WilliamGonzales-vy8ri]

Thank you for this wonderful video Rachel

[@vainpiers]

Ive seen kids reading books i dont find age appropriate but im not their parents or guardian so i kept my mouth shut.

[@dgtor_official]

Never been this early to a video before and I usually just listen while drawing or doing hw for uni. I’m glad to also learn more about your situation. My hs library was never targeted by these people, thank god. But I felt so safe there because of how our staff trusted and protected our right to read what we wished. Anyways keep up the good work and hopefully those banners get lives soon.

[@kalopsiawitch9538]

Thank you so much for this video. I hope this spreads and inspires people to stand up for their libraries.

[@HarmlessHagoftheWoods]

I have to applaud your patience and grace when dealing with these people. I would be risking a charge trying to deal with someone doing that much gaslighting and trying to paint everything they dont like as "porn and corrupting". So thankful to live in a state that doesnt seem to be putting up with this bull.

[@gangrene11]

I don’t know if I just don’t follow other channels as closely as yours or what, but I never really see other book reviewers doing stuff like this. It’s so great.

[@NateReadsDiversely]

Sharing this everywhere!

[@phangkuanhoong7967]

these cuckoo conservatives give me a migraine. kudos to you, Rachel, for standing up to them.

[@ann-gt4hh]

God I don't know how you do that. I struggle so much with even listening to these opinions let alone having to confront them in a space like that. Honestly amazing and I hope you always have a cool pillow.

[@hyenaedits3460]

Conservatives: those stupid liberals and their safe spaces! Grow a spine! Also conservatives: i demand that the public library be my and my child's personal safe space!

[@Lady_Ackledama]

Yet another amazing video! Your fight against book banners is truly inspiring❤️

[@robinronin]

It amazes me that all those fully grown adults just go up there and talk utter nonsense with such confidence. I’m not even that confident when I speak the actual truth 😂 “I’m a former veteran-well, not former, I’m not dead yet-” sir you talk like a tiny little bitter elderly man who committed a lot of war crimes in WWII on the wrong side of history, so it can’t be long before you will be a former veteran 😘

[@ReadswithRachel]

Fun fact his name is Brian Paris and I caught him at a school board meeting TWO COUNTIES NORTH (hernando) where I personally had to tell him to stop arguing with 17 year old girls. And no, he doesn’t have kids in my county or in hernando county. He is willing to speak over parents in both counties and treat kids like shit.

[@robinronin]

Oh great, because an adult man trying to prevent children from being well-read so he can slip in there is not suspicious at alllll 🤢

[@rebeccaweaver2460]

Commenting before I finish, this needs more views!!!!!!!!

[@ninal.4188]

te admiro muito, diva 🙏

[@ReadswithRachel]

Obrigada 🥹❤️

[@Senidhr]

This is crazy. Being from an european country , i hear this and find it so distopian. I have to admit i don't have kids and my nephews are 15 and 17 so i'm not the most aware how is currently the library school system, but i'm pretty sure people are not trying to ban books.

[@lexsbookcorner]

Talk about a mic drop moment! You are so badass!!

[@toomanyplants0012]

Rachel, stop making me giggle!! I keep having to readjust my face mask!!! 🤣🤣🤣 “This is a complete waste of my time➡️aren’t I having so much fun?” Thanks for putting these clowns on blast

[@justokayemilay6029]

This gives me anxiety!

[@belovedwinter]

These are always the hardest videos for me to watch because they upset me so much, but I think they're some of the most important ones on your channel. (Also the unexpected interview with L.A. Schwartz was such a nice bonus!! I can't wait to read her book.

[@ericarowanarts]

Hey! Hey, Florida. I don't know that it's a good idea to make it harder for Floridians to read. Don't know that the state can afford that. For real tho. It blows my mind that these people are grandstanding saying they're looking out for parental rights but then talk over parents. Ridiculous.

[@ericarowanarts]

Added this book to my tbr so fast

[@theMMAdhatter]

What a fantastic (if vicariously infuriating) video! Weaving in an interview with an author whose book addresses the topic substantiated by real-life evidence is such a fully-rounded experience. One of my most favorite RwR videos!

[@laneswitched9370]

As someone from tampa, thank you. I moved away but my family is still there and i go back often. It is terrible when a place you love doesnt love you back so thank you for making tampa just a little bit better

[@Drankstyj]

Thank you for speaking out against these very stupid bigots.

[@Drudenfusz]

Keep up your great work Rachel!

[@mothwingthemedicinecat]

I'm going to be going to Tampa for the first time soon, hoppefully i don't see any of those book banners while i'm there. Im pleased my local libary seems to do their best to fight book bans, sadly i have heard of some happening here but the main libary i go to seems to do their best to not get rid of the books, and still have most of the books that people want banned.

[@dulcimerthefairy4793]

Great work, Rachel. ❤

[@amymonemontoya]

COMMENTING FOR THE ALGORITHM GODS! MORE PEOPLE NEED TO SEE THIS!!!!! AAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!

[@catinthe]

Thank you so much for making this video! You've talked about your fight against book banning quite a bit, and seeing all the footage of the buffoons trying to ban books is infuriating but the snippets of you defending them repeatedly is just so impressive. It's exhausting to keep showing up to fight what appear to be losing battles, but your community and more importantly your children are so lucky to have you fighting for them.

[@floofmccloud]

Wulti Level Warketing Scheme might be my favorite patron name so far 🤣

[@CatBarefield]

The “i peddle 🌽” from the thumbnail really threw me for a loop! I thought it was a quote from the book x) glad i clicked anyway. Bookbanners need hobbies and community…

[@sheriffflynn]

Thanks, Rachel. The interview was fascinating and the many many clips of meetings were equally entertaining in their ridiculousness and saddening in the patheticness of those trying to ban books and do Olympic level mental gymnastics just to try and sneak a lie past. You've also given me a good book to dig into. I mentioned it long ago I believe when you The Perfect Crimes of Marian Hayes that I've had trouble finding good Romance, so I'm pleased as punch to not only have an upcoming title to look forward to in that genre, but also one so pertinent and close to home. I'll also have to share this with my fellow MLIS peers. Again, thank you. Much love

[@jamiepx9]

For my old job I had to attend city meetings for parks and recreation around their different aquatic centers. The people are just as you describe. It indeed feels like a script. Thanks for fighting for libraries my elementary school librarian mom basically retired due to harassment from parents about books.

[@BookishTexan]

Brilliant! Thank you.

[@amyb.2968]

Thank you for your activism.

[@Anarchivist343]

Thank you from an archivist, daughter of a children's librarian.

[@ReadswithRachel]

Thank you! You’re among some of the most important people out there doing incredible work!

[@KatieIbsen]

Yolo county library?? That’s my hometown library!! Love it!!

[@Stonedandbookish]

Im always recommending your content about book banning. You explain things so well and i love how much you advocate for books and their rights to exist.