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Ep.80 – Liz Lantigua: How Parents Can Save Kids from Corrupt Books | Virtue Ethics | Classical Education | Family Conservatives | Legacy Building

Virtuous Leaders with Dr. Johann D'Souza

Liz Lantigua is the founder of Literacy Advocates USA, where she helps parents, educators, and schools who struggle with the growing prevalence of unsuitable and harmful content in children’s literature to provide students with joyful, virtue-forming, and clean reading experiences that support positive character development and a love of learning. Top 5 Insights from Liz Lantigua • The books children encounter are shaping their moral imagination and values far more than most parents realize—and many books marketed to kids contain hidden, inappropriate, or agenda-driven content. • Great reading builds virtue and courage; Liz’s team curates books through parent, author, and media specialist review, focusing on positive values, clean language, and stories that inspire, not deform. • Forming children’s habits around reading for fun—not just homework—is linked to lifelong learning and character; modeling this as parents is as crucial as what children actually read. • Series and classic favorites are often reissued with “Trojan Horse” content that undermines traditional values—Liz shares concrete examples and tips on how to stay vigilant. • True leadership means ordinary parents stepping up for the good of the whole community—by advocating for better options in schools and supporting alternatives that reflect their deeper values. Timestamps 00:00 Meet Liz Lantigua: Championing Clean Reading for Kids 00:44 Introducing Liz and Literacy Advocates, USA 02:23 The Birth of Good News Book Fair 03:35 Curating Clean Reads for Kids 06:04 The Importance of Parental Involvement 08:09 Challenges and Trojan Horses in Children's Literature 10:42 Highlighting Positive and Inspiring Books 11:49 The Mission and Vision of Literacy Advocates, USA 12:35 Call to Action for Parents and Community 14:54 Expanding the Reach of Good News Book Fair 15:45 Final Thoughts and Encouragement Liz Lantigua Founder, Literacy Advocates USA & Good News! Book Fair https://goodnewsbookfair.com/ https://www.instagram.com/goodnewsbookfair/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/lizlantigua/ Dr. Johann D'Souza Clinical Psychologist at Values First Therapy https://www.valuesfirsttherapy.com/ https://www.valuesfirstcollective.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/johanndsouza/ https://x.com/drjohanndsouza