Julianne Moore has reacted with “great shock” after finding out that her children’s book Freckleface Strawberry has reportedly been banned in schools by the Trump administration.
The Freckleface Strawberry book series follows a young girl with red hair and freckles, who is teased by her fellow students for it and feels different from everyone else. Illustrated by LeUyen Pham, the first book was published in 2007 and led to five more sequels, and also inspired a 2010 stage musical.
The Oscar-winning actress posted on her Instagram on Sunday, sharing that her book had been banned by schools run by the Department of Defence (DoD).
“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 Defence. 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,’” said the May December actor.
“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.
“I am particularly stunned because I am a proud graduate of Frankfurt American High School a DoD school that once operated in Frankfurt, Germany. I grew up with a father who is a Vietnam veteran and spent his career in the US Army. I could not be prouder of him and his service to our country.
“It is galling for me to realise that kids like me, growing up with a parent in the service and attending a Department of Defence Education Activity school will not have access to a book written by someone whose life experience is so similar to their own. And I can’t help but wonder what is so controversial about this picture book that cause it to be banned by the US government.
“I am truly saddened and never thought I would see this in a country where freedom of speech and expression is a constitutional right. Thank you to PEN America for bringing this to my attention.”
According to a report in The Guardian on Thursday, the DoD sent parents a memo last week stating it was examining library books “potentially related to gender ideology or discriminatory equity ideology topics”.
Moore’s book is reportedly one of several books that the Department of Defence Education Activity has identified to conduct a “compliance review” on, and has been “relocated to the professional collection for evaluation with access limited to professional staff”.
This investigation is meant to ensure that schools under the Department of Defence, which serve US military families, are in compliance with the new executive orders signed by Donald Trump titled “Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government” and “Ending Radical Indoctrination in K-12 Schooling”.
Will Griffin, DoDEA spokesperson, told The Washington Post in a statement: “DoDEA is reviewing its current policies and DoDEA-adopted instructional resources to ensure compliance with applicable Executive Orders and Department of Defence guidance.”
Griffin added that “books potentially related to gender ideology or discriminatory equity ideology” will be set aside for a staff review.
In replies to Moore’s Instagram post, several celebrities expressed dismay at the ban.
“WHAT??? This is truly beyond comprehension,” wrote Kate Bosworth.
“Oh my friend, this is frightening! I’m so sorry this is happening!!” wrote Halle Berry.
Elizabeth Perkins wrote: “This is insanity. I can’t believe this.”
“Are you joking??” wrote Michelle Pfeiffer, and then in a separate comment asked, “How can we get this book?”
Uzo Aduba wrote: “Just bought it for my daughter. Can’t wait to read it.”
The American Library Association and the American Association of School Librarians lambasted the guidance as a “shameful censorship” decree that erases history and is designed to “silence the voices of Americans whose lives reflect the diversity of our nation”.
“By ordering the removal and suppression of learning materials and activities in its schools and libraries, the DoDEA is engaging in censorship of legitimate views and opinions that violates the First Amendment rights of those who serve our nation and their families, thereby denying them the very freedoms they have pledged to protect with their lives,” the groups said in a statement this month.
PEN America, who Moore credited with alerting her to the ban, said in an Instagram post: “The removal of these titles is yet another indicator of the new administration's flippant and autocratic approach to K-12 education.”
The Independent has reached out to the DoD for comment.
