Banned together
Languages
Closed-captioned.
Publication Information
[San Francisco, CA] : Video Project, [2025]
Physical Description
1 videodisc (92 minutes) : sound, color ; 4 3/4 in.
Audience
Not rated.
Summary
The explosive world of Banned Together which includes a diverse cast of visionary teenagers, stirring public protests, private threats, criminal charges, and drama-filled school board meetings pulls back the curtain on two of the most controversial issues in America today: book bans and curriculum censorship in public schools. Banned Together follows three students from Beaufort, South Carolina, who joined forces as members of Diversity Awareness Youth Literacy Organization (DAYLO), and their adult allies as they fight to reinstate 97 books suddenly pulled from their school libraries. The books were removed as part of a nationwide assault of educational freedom that takes aim at literature that features BIPOC and LGBTQ+ experiences. Revealing the shadowy forces behind the accelerating wave of book bans in the United States, the film shines a light on the rise of Moms for Liberty. Initially formed to challenge COVID restrictions, the group pivoted to educational censorship while riding a wave of dark-money financial backing from their concerning political ties. With their "Book Looks" program, the group has successfully manufactured growing distrust towards public education and educators, while attempting to suppress histories that conflict with their funders' ideological aims. Alongside the teens' local protests, the film also highlights censorship battles happening in libraries, classrooms, and school districts across the United States, with several teachers speaking about the harassment and threats they have received from those driving the bans, some of whom have been forced out of teaching altogether.
Notes
Originally produced as a documentary in 2024.