Last month, we hosted the first Military Families for Free Expression (MFFE) virtual convening to bring our community together and empower military families to stand up against censorship and book bans.
Why This Matters
Our loved ones in uniform defend the Constitution and our freedoms, yet our families are facing restrictions on our own freedoms when it comes to what books can accessed in DODEA schools and local communities.
Recent directives have pulled almost 600 books from DODEA schools, disproportionately targeting works by and about people of color, people of color, and those addressing themes of identity and justice.
MFFE is building a platform where families can learn, connect, and act together in defense of the right to read and grow.
Event Highlights
The MFFE gathering featured powerful perspectives from across the free expression and military family community:
Philomena Polefrone – Associate Director of the American Booksellers for Free Expression, sharing insights on national trends in censorship and how grassroots action makes a difference.
Vicki Kwiatkowski – Military spouse and former DODEA librarian, offering an inside look at how book challenges and restrictions affect students and educators.
Charlotte Sullivan Wild – Military spouse and author of a challenged book, speaking firsthand about what it means to have one’s work censored and why representation matters.
Together with the MFFE team, they grounded the conversation in both lived experience and actionable knowledge.
Key Takeaways
Know your rights: Military families have a constitutional stake in access to books and ideas, even within the unique structure of DODEA and military installations.
Understand the stakes: Censorship undermines education, silences marginalized voices, and contradicts the freedoms our loved ones serve defend.
Take action: From contacting school administrators to joining local reading campaigns, there are tangible steps families and allies can take.
Get Involved
Follow and share MFFE to stay informed.
Call your leaders, both locally and in DC, to share your concerns and demand protections from censorship.
Start a banned book club.
Create a safe space for kids and adults to read and resist censorship.
Banned Books Week is October 5-11 - host a Right to Read Night with these resources.
Stayed tuned for details on our next event, as we will come together again during Banned Books Week!
This is just the beginning. By coming together, military families can ensure that the freedom to read, learn, and grow is protected here in our community.
