The Trump Administration has been making controversial moves, such as taking hold of the Kennedy Center and upending NEA grants. Now, Academy Award-winning actress and author Julianne Moore has revealed on Instagram that her 2007 children’s book, “Freckleface Strawberry,” has been banned from schools operated by the Department of Defense. This news shocked Moore, as the message of the novel is one of unity and acceptance.
“Freckleface Strawberry” tells the story of a seven-year-old girl who learns to embrace her freckles and understand that everyone is different in their own unique way. Moore wrote the book to remind children, including her own, that despite struggles, our humanity and community unite us.
Moore, who graduated from a DoD high school in Frankfurt, Germany, where her father was stationed, expressed disappointment in the ban, especially for children who can no longer access material that reflects their own life experiences. She questioned why a picture book would be considered controversial enough to warrant a ban by the US Government in a country where freedom of speech is a constitutional right.
The ban on “Freckleface Strawberry” was part of a series of new decrees issued by the Trump Administration through the U.S. Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA). These decrees involved removing and reviewing books related to gender ideology and discriminatory equity ideology topics from DoD schools. In response, the American Library Association and the American Association of School Librarians condemned the actions, stating that the censorship of legitimate views violates the First Amendment.
Among the other materials under review by DoDEA are “No Truth Without Ruth,” a picture book about Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and “Becoming Nicole,” a biography about transgender activist Nicole Maines. These censorship actions have sparked outrage and calls for the protection of freedom of information and expression in DoD schools.
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