Freckle Face Strawberry banned by Trump administration

[keith99]

MSN

A children's book where a girl with freckles comes to accept and embrace being different seems to be a threat from a Trumpian viewpoint!

For now it is banned from any Pentagon schools, which I take to mean any schools for military dependents. Ironically the author was a military brat and knows first hand that problems military dependents face.

 

[Oompa Loompa]

Well, I am not going to download the MSNBC app to read the article.

 

[CRAZY_CAT_WOMAN]

Well, I am not going to download the zmS N app to read the article.

You just expand article. Below the app.

 

[The IbanezerScrooge]

Well, I am not going to download the zmS N app to read the article.

Here you go, chief. I even removed the ads for you.

"What is so controversial about this picture book that caused it to be banned by the US Government?"

Dominique Charriau/WireImage; Win McNamee/Getty Julianne Moore and Donald Trump
Julianne Moore is speaking out after learning that President Donald Trump's administration has banned her children's book about self-acceptance in Pentagon-run schools worldwide.

"It is a great shock for me to learn that my first book, Freckleface Strawberry, has been banned by the Trump Administration from schools run by the Department of Defense," Moore began her Sunday Instagram post. "Freckleface Strawberry is a semi-autobiographical story about a seven year old girl who dislikes her freckles but eventually learns to live with them when she realizes that she is different 'just like everybody else.'"

She continued, "It is a book I wrote for my children and for other kids to remind them that we all struggle, but are united by our humanity and our community."

John Lamparski/WireImage Julianne Moore in 2015
Moore, the daughter of a Vietnam veteran and graduate of the Department of Defense-run Frankfurt American High School, added she is particularly devastated that "kids like me, growing up with a parent in the service and attending a [DoDEA] school, will not have access to a book written by someone whose life experience is so similar to their own."

The first of Moore's Freckleface Strawberry books hit shelves in 2007 and followed its 7-year-old protagonist as she learns to accept herself, red hair, freckles, and all. "The things that make you different also make you, YOU," reads the official synopsis. The pre-school level picture book has spawned several sequels, including Freckleface Strawberry: Loose Tooth and Freckleface Strawberry and the Really Big Voice.

"I can’t help but wonder what is so controversial about this picture book that causes it to be banned by the US Government," Moore continued in her post. "I am truly saddened and never thought I would see this in a country where freedom of speech and expression is a constitutional right."

George Napolitano/FilmMagic Julianne Moore in 2009
The actress went on to thank PEN America, a nonprofit that seeks to raise awareness for the protection of free expression in the United States and worldwide, for "bringing this to my attention."

Last week, the organization condemned the Trump administration for purging books — such as Moore's — from Department of Defense schools that serve 67,000 children around the world. Other banned books include the Ruth Bader Ginsburg picture book No Truth Without Ruth and transgender activist Nicole Maines' memoir, Becoming Nicole.

"The removal of these titles is yet another indicator of the new Administration's flippant and autocratic approach to K-12 education," read a Thursday post from PEN America.

 

[CRAZY_CAT_WOMAN]

MSN

A children's book where a girl with freckles comes to accept and embrace being different seems to be a threat from a Trumpian viewpoint!

For now it is banned from any Pentagon schools, which I take to mean any schools for military dependents. Ironically the author was a military brat and knows first hand that problems military dependents face.

Odd to ban a good book. But I guess a lot of books will be banned. For no good reason.

 

[Nithavela]

For fascists, there is nothing more threatening than people being different and getting away with it.

 

[RileyG]

MSN

A children's book where a girl with freckles comes to accept and embrace being different seems to be a threat from a Trumpian viewpoint!

For now it is banned from any Pentagon schools, which I take to mean any schools for military dependents. Ironically the author was a military brat and knows first hand that problems military dependents face.

I find this...very odd. Maybe he doesn't like the author? Because of her atheistic liberal views?

She is a very fine actress, though. I loved her in Still Alice.

 

[RileyG]

Odd to ban a good book. But I guess a lot of books will be banned. For no good reason.

I'm very much opposed to book banning for 99.99% of reasons. Coming from a moderate conservative.

 

[Bradskii]

Look, I don't mind freckles. Some of my best friends have freckles. But do we want these sort of people in the armed services?

 

[ozso]

It hasn't been banned. It's on a list of books to be reviewed before being placed in Pentagon schools.

 

[Oompa Loompa]

Here you go, chief. I even removed the ads for you.

"What is so controversial about this picture book that caused it to be banned by the US Government?"

Dominique Charriau/WireImage; Win McNamee/Getty Julianne Moore and Donald Trump
Julianne Moore is speaking out after learning that President Donald Trump's administration has banned her children's book about self-acceptance in Pentagon-run schools worldwide.

"It is a great shock for me to learn that my first book, Freckleface Strawberry, has been banned by the Trump Administration from schools run by the Department of Defense," Moore began her Sunday Instagram post. "Freckleface Strawberry is a semi-autobiographical story about a seven year old girl who dislikes her freckles but eventually learns to live with them when she realizes that she is different 'just like everybody else.'"

She continued, "It is a book I wrote for my children and for other kids to remind them that we all struggle, but are united by our humanity and our community."

John Lamparski/WireImage Julianne Moore in 2015
Moore, the daughter of a Vietnam veteran and graduate of the Department of Defense-run Frankfurt American High School, added she is particularly devastated that "kids like me, growing up with a parent in the service and attending a [DoDEA] school, will not have access to a book written by someone whose life experience is so similar to their own."

The first of Moore's Freckleface Strawberry books hit shelves in 2007 and followed its 7-year-old protagonist as she learns to accept herself, red hair, freckles, and all. "The things that make you different also make you, YOU," reads the official synopsis. The pre-school level picture book has spawned several sequels, including Freckleface Strawberry: Loose Tooth and Freckleface Strawberry and the Really Big Voice.

"I can’t help but wonder what is so controversial about this picture book that causes it to be banned by the US Government," Moore continued in her post. "I am truly saddened and never thought I would see this in a country where freedom of speech and expression is a constitutional right."

George Napolitano/FilmMagic Julianne Moore in 2009
The actress went on to thank PEN America, a nonprofit that seeks to raise awareness for the protection of free expression in the United States and worldwide, for "bringing this to my attention."

Last week, the organization condemned the Trump administration for purging books — such as Moore's — from Department of Defense schools that serve 67,000 children around the world. Other banned books include the Ruth Bader Ginsburg picture book No Truth Without Ruth and transgender activist Nicole Maines' memoir, Becoming Nicole.

"The removal of these titles is yet another indicator of the new Administration's flippant and autocratic approach to K-12 education," read a Thursday post from PEN America.

Thank you for navigating me around the pay wall. I really don't understand why a book about a girl with freckles would be banned. The idea/concept seems fine, but I have not read the book either. My prediction is that some Trump underling was given a task to ban anything that has to do with DEI, and without the most superficial research, made the decision to ban it. My point is that Trump is probably unaware that such a book was banned. Now that this have become newsworthy, Trump's ego will not allow it to continue.

 

[Chesterton]

For fascists, there is nothing more threatening than people being different and getting away with it.

According to the author, the freckled girl is "different" 'just like everybody else.' Perhaps the book was delisted because the writer doesn't know how to write.

 

[Oompa Loompa]

According to the author, the freckled girl is "different" 'just like everybody else.' Perhaps the book was delisted because the writer doesn't know how to write.

I would argue that it was delisted because some underling didn't know how to properly vet.

 

[JustaPewFiller]

I would argue that it was delisted because some underling didn't know how to properly vet.

That would be my guess as well.

Some underling was given the task and X number of days to do it. Given the speed they are moving the time frame to do the work was likely small.

Said underling probably realized researching all the books enough to make an accurate assessment would be impossible in the time frame.

So, instead they drew a more or less arbitrary line that was probably an "educated guess" and said, "Job is done boss!!!". This book ended up on the wrong side of that line.

Probably a bit of that going around these days.

 

[essentialsaltes]

Look, I don't mind freckles. Some of my best friends have freckles. But do we want these sort of people in the armed services?

They buried the lede that the protagonist is a ginger as well.

 

[RileyG]

According to the author, the freckled girl is "different" 'just like everybody else.' Perhaps the book was delisted because the writer doesn't know how to write.

She’s an actress, not an author. Maybe that’s why?

 

[durangodawood]

According to the author, the freckled girl is "different" 'just like everybody else.' Perhaps the book was delisted because the writer doesn't know how to write.

Yeah there are some sci fi scenarios where two people are the same. She should have considered that.

 

[The IbanezerScrooge]

She’s an actress, not an author. Maybe that’s why?

I submit that she is, in fact, an author as well as an actress. As evidenced by her having published a book that she wrote.

 

[RileyG]

I submit that she is, in fact, an author as well as an actress. As evidenced by her having published a book that she wrote.

Well. I meant she’s an actress first. I worded it very wrong. Oops

 

[ThatRobGuy]

Sounds like some staffer likely didn't fine-tune their questions enough when trying to have AI do their assignment for them.

I say that because, according to The Hill:

A spokesperson for DOD Education Activity told The Hill the department is reviewing its current policies and instructional resources in light of recent executive orders from President Trump and Department of Defense guidance.

“At this time, we are conducting a review — no materials have been permanently removed from our school libraries pending completion of the review. During this period, materials under review will have access limited to professional staff,” according to a statement from the department.


So, it sounds like they used some sort of mechanism like AI, and probably didn't ask it specific enough questions, and it returned a list of the books, and now they're going to manually review the automated output.