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By the time the doors opened to the Lorton Community Center in Fairfax, Va., there were already lines stretched out in either direction—kids tugging on their parents’ hands, one almost 12-year-old asking if there were Legos to be had (there were) and teachers pulling empty wagons and carrying as many empty tote bags as they could fit under their arms.
The wagons, the bags and the excited kids were all there for the 30,000 brand-new, curated, free books stacked knee-high in the gym, courtesy of the Fairfax County Federation of Teachers and the AFT’s Reading Opens the World initiative, which has already put more than 10 million free books into the hands of children and teachers across the country.
“This is about more than just handing out books,” said David Walrod, president of the FCFT and a special education teacher by trade. “Reading on grade level by third grade is one of the best predictors of high school graduation and lifelong success. But to get there, kids have to want to read — and that starts with having books they’re excited about.”
That’s why FCFT, the AFT, and representatives from various community organizations showed up on April 26 armed with coffee, donuts and smiles to greet the approximately 2,000 people who came through that day.
Behind the smiles was a simple belief: Literacy is a right, not a privilege, and an equitable education relies on it.
Opening minds, one book at a time
For Patrice Faison, who works with families experiencing homelessness in Washington, D.C., access to books can be transformative. “I always make sure I have books to give the kids,” she said. “It’s amazing to see a child sit and read and know that the book is theirs. They get so excited, especially when they can take the book home. They get excited to go to school. That’s my biggest joy.”
She has seen firsthand how a book that belongs wholly to a child can anchor them, opening a portal to curiosity and engagement in learning.
Beyond that, research demonstrates that owning a book is necessary for success in school and in the job market. Just the presence of books in the home, let alone age-appropriate books that pique a child’s interest, has been shown to lead to better performance in school and better employment outcomes. Despite this, books are scarce for kids in need. That’s why this joyous event—peppered with Legos, arts and crafts, and popcorn—underscored a much larger issue.
A civil right under threat
Michelle Reid, superintendent of Fairfax County Public Schools, spelled out the stakes. “The ability to read is a critical civil right,” she said. “If you can’t read, you can’t write. You can’t compute. That is so problematic.”
She noted the link between third-grade reading scores and future incarceration rates, a reminder that literacy and access to books aren’t just about education—they are deeply tied to justice and equity, both values that are central tenets of public education.
“The United States was founded on the ideals of public education, and that has never been more important,” she said.
Mateo Dunne, the Mount Vernon district representative on the Fairfax County School Board, called the event “one of the most meaningful things we can do.” A fan of The Chronicles of Narnia and The Hardy Boys growing up, he emphasized how much it matters to get books into the hands of children.
“Books are about more than stories,” he said. “They’re about opportunity. Every child has a fundamental right to a world-class education, regardless of where they live, what school they attend, or what language they speak at home. And they are part of imagining a world different from the one we’re in. We live in a very challenging time right now, and it's important for kids to continue to imagine that the world can become different from what it is.”
Reid, who was wearing a windbreaker embroidered with “Superintendent” on the front, had just been challenged by a fourth-grader from Annandale Terrace Elementary to read one of the student’s favorite books—part of Disney’s Twisted Tales series, which offers up an alternative take on classic stories like Beauty and the Beast and The Little Mermaid—and then give a book report to the class. She said she was happy to make the time. “I’ve been called out,” she said. “I need to get back to Annandale Terrace with my perspective on this.”
The fight for funding and fairness
The event also underscored another reality: Public education is underfunded, and educators are the ones filling the gaps.
“Spending money on books is just part of our regular expenditures,” said Christina Krockel, a reading specialist at Sangster Elementary School. “I used to spend over $1,000 a year for my classroom library. It shouldn’t be that way, but our kids need these books.”
Reid, who said she came to the event to support FCFT and all the hard work that teachers do, noted that while the event was joyful, the need for it pointed to a larger problem.
“You can just feel the excitement in the room,” she said. “But when I think about it honestly, I also think about what the need for this event says about our value around public education. When I see so many of our teachers here getting books that we're not able to otherwise provide ... that says something.”
Connecting through books
Amanda Campbell, president of the Fairfax County Special Education Parent Teacher Association, was stuffing a bag full of books chosen by her daughter, who kept coming back with more. The event, she noted, is about more than books.
“The availability of books is just amazing,” she said. “I love reading with my daughter. I also love that FCFT made this not just an event to come and get books, but that they have other activities and resources from the community here, too. The books are a great thing to draw people in. But then it also gives families an opportunity to see what other community resources are available to them. It’s about literacy and connection.”
Campbell was eventually dragged away by her daughter who had succeeded in overfilling her mother’s bag.
AFT Secretary-Treasurer Fedrick Ingram noted the enthusiasm in kids like Campbell’s daughter and the need to keep providing kids with opportunities that expand their worlds.
“If you see these young people with a book in their hands, look at the hope in their eyes, look at the opportunities that they have,” he said. “One of these young people is going to be the superintendent of Fairfax County Public Schools one day. One of these young people we're looking at right now is going to be the president of the United States. One of these young people is going to heal the world. We need to pour more and more into them.”