Protestors interrupt a Moms for Liberty’s “fascist” book banning meeting
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The meeting of a Howard County, Maryland branch of Moms for Liberty, a group advocating for “parents’ rights,” was disrupted by protestors. The group planned to discuss a proposal to ban LGBTQ+-inclusive books from school libraries, but chair Lisa Geraghty remained determined to move forward despite the opposition.
On February 26, members of this chapter gathered at the Howard Central Branch library in Columbia, with Jessica Garland, a member known for successfully advocating for the removal of books in Carroll County, as the guest speaker. The protestors, dressed in rainbow-colored clothing and holding signs, arrived an hour before the meeting began.
During the meeting, there were clashes between audience members and Geraghty and Garland. Garland received backlash for labeling parents as “abnormal” for allowing their children to access sexually explicit material, and attendees interrupted her presentation with heckles and jeers. The chapter in Carroll County had successfully lobbied for the removal of 56 books from schools, including LGBTQ+-authored and other diverse works, but faced resistance from the district’s librarians.
Some individuals at the meeting shared their personal experiences of censorship and questioned the organization’s motives. The Howard County M4L chapter outlined their plan to initially target books categorized as “pornography” in high schools before expanding to discuss gender and sexuality, while the school district affirmed their commitment to maintaining age-appropriate materials in schools. Despite facing criticism, Moms for Liberty continues to advocate for book bans in school libraries, sparking debate about censorship and inclusivity in educational settings.
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Moms for Liberty
