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Moms for Liberty Just Got More Influence in Florida Schools

Three of the six members of a Department of Education workgroup that advises Florida school libraries are part of Moms for Liberty.

Moms for Liberty has stretched its influence inside Florida schools a step further, with the Florida Times-Union reporting that the right-wing group’s members now account for three out of the six people in a Department of Education workgroup that oversees school libraries. That tally came from a Thursday meeting by the group, which advises school districts on how to select titles and when to pull them from library shelves. Records showed that more than 20 people applied to be in the workgroup, the Times-Union reported. That included Stephana Ferrell, who co-founded a statewide book advocacy program but was ultimately denied a spot.“It’s evident that the Florida Department of Education is not ready to turn a corner and start tamping down on the gross censorship we’re seeing across the state,” she told the Times-Union. Moms for Liberty, which was founded in Florida, has had an increasing influence over policy in the state in recent years, particularly in schools—where their members are infamous for hijacking board meetings and demanding certain books be removed from libraries. That influence has been attributed as a driving factor behind Gov. Ron DeSantis’ push to enact book bans that have been particularly harsh on LGBTQ topics.