Banned Book Read-A-Thon Pledge

Make a pledge to bring awareness to the rapidly growing threat of book banning, and support candidates for school board who oppose book bans!

Every book read will be a title that has been banned from Central York School District between 2020-2023.

There are two ways to make a pledge:

1. You could sponsor this reader for a flat amount. If you pledge a flat donation of $20, no matter how much the participant reads you will owe $20.

2. You can pledge an amount for books read. For example, a participant reads 5 books over the span of the read-a-thon. If you sponsored this reader for $1, you would owe $1 x 5 = $5. You may put a limit on any donation!

Members of the Central York School Board banned over 300 books by or about people of color during the 2021-22 school year. It was the largest book ban in the history of American public education.

The ban was widely criticized by elected leaders and press outlets across the political spectrum. After the York Dispatch broke the story, national news organizations such as The Washington Post, The New York Times, CNN, and even Fox News ran stories condemning the ban as racially motivated and wrong.

After months of pressure from students, teachers, and the community, the board temporarily lifted the book ban. When new school board members who opposed the ban were elected, they made sure the ban could not be reinstated—but our work isn’t finished yet.

The board members who voted for the ban devastated our children and embarrassed our community. Now they and their supporters are defending the ban and mobilizing in an attempt to take over the board in 2023. We can’t allow it.

Your contribution will support candidates who are running to oppose the return of the racially motivated book ban and to give our students the world-class education they deserve. Chip in to join our movement!