AFT New Mexico Celebrates Banned Books Week!
AFT New Mexico is spending this week celebrating banned books and our fervent support of ensuring all students and Americans have the freedom to read what they choose!
As educators, we know protecting our students’ right to read is a value we all share.
To support our week of celebrations, we are doing the following:
1: We will kick off each day with an e-mail full of information about banned books, resources for educators, history around efforts to ban books, and many resources you may use in your own teaching.
2: We are also launching a contest for AFT NM members to share their displays, bulletin boards, lesson plans, or any other educational tool you are utilizing to share the love of reading with your students. (More info below on the contest!)
3: We are collecting photos of members and elected leaders in New Mexico to highlight individuals’ favorite Banned Books. We will share those stories throughout the week on AFT NM social media sites.
4: We are providing social media graphics that can be downloaded and shared on your own personal social media pages – one for educators specifically and another for community members to show their support for reading Banned Books.
Our week of celebrating Banned Books will be capped by the announcement of winners of our 1st Banned Books Week contest.
We hope you will consider how you can participate in this week dedicated to the freedom and joy of reading, and check your e-mails throughout the week for graphics, resources, and educational materials that celebrate reading!
In Solidarity,
Whitney Holland
President, AFT New Mexico
Contest Details:
We encourage you to enter our Banned Books Week contest! The contest will be launched on October 1 (today) to coincide with the beginning of Banned Books Week and will be open to any AFT NM member to submit their entry.
Be creative and think outside the box! Entries could be a lesson plan, library display, or other educational activity that ties into the week and its mission. The best submissions will receive gift cards that can be used to purchase books, resources, and materials on First Book Marketplace.
The first-place winner will receive a $1,500 gift certificate to First Book Marketplace.
The second-place winner will receive a $1,000 gift certificate to First Book Marketplace.
The third-place winner will receive a $500 gift certificate to First Book Marketplace.
Winners will be announced at the conclusion of Banned Books Week.
