Librarians in public schools in Charlotte County, Florida, were instructed by the school district superintendent to remove all books with LGBTQ characters or themes from school and classroom libraries. The guidance by Charlotte County Superintendent Mark Vianello and the school board's attorney, Michael McKinley, was obtained by the Florida Freedom to Read Project (FFTRP) through a public records request and shared with Popular Information. FFTRP requested "electronic records of district and school decisions regarding classroom and library materials." In response, FFTRP received a document memorializing a July 24 conversation between Vianello and district librarians, known in Florida as media specialists.
The statement by Vianello, “books with [t]hese characters and themes cannot exist." Sums up the goal of DeSatanist & his ilk (aka MAGA GOP). They want freedom of expression to “not exist”. They want freedom to chose to “not exist”. Therefore they want freedom to “not exist”.
Once again, for anyone who still lives in a place where the book banners haven't shown up yet, pay attention to what's going on at your local school district and public libraries. Show up and speak out. Read your library's collection development policy or materials selection policy. These statements should specifically state that the library follows the American Library Association's Library Bill of Rights, Freedom to Read, and Freedom to View statements - all of which protect each person's right to read any information, no matter how controversial. It also clearly states that parents DO have the right to guide their own children in reading choices, but that no single parent or a group has the right to choose for children who are not their own.
In addition, encourage your libraries, if they don't already have such a statement, to include language like this (which I found in a library policy in a very conservative district):
The library is not a judicial body. Laws governing obscenity, subversive materials, and other
questionable matters are subject to interpretation by the courts. Consequently, no
challenged material will be removed from the library for complaints of obscenity,
pornography, subversiveness, or any other category covered by law until after receipt of an
independent court order. Conversely, materials previously judged unlawful will not
knowingly be selected.
If you are a school library, clearly state in your policy that only a parent with a child actively enrolled in your school may fill out a "request for reconsideration form", and that they must have read the book they are challenging in its entirety (so that they can't challenge books they've only heard about). Also, state in your policy that they can only challenge one book at a time, and that any challenged book stays on the shelf pending the outcome of the challenge process. Finally, make it clear that any book challenge form turned in becomes public record in the case that someone else files a Request for Public Records form or a Freedom of Information Act request.
Finally, if you are lucky enough to live in a state that hasn't lost its collective mind, contact your state legislators and demand they pass a law similar to Illinois's law which bans book banning.
Speak up! Speak out! Get active on this issue or it WILL come to your town.
This will do so much harm to so many children. As a young child, I knew I was different but had no guidance. I grew up feeling like a lesser person because I was different. These laws could not be more harmful to young people. They will grow and they will learn but why, intentionally make their lives more miserable, sad and lonely??? Hateful adults subject children to this type of ignorance.
The mental midgets who have implemented this law actually believe people become gay because they read about it. Books with gay characters are not pornographic or otherwise inappropriate.
Thank you for keeping the spotlight on this issue, which I hope means keeping pressure on those states implementing authoritarian policies such as this one, to back off. We all must speak out and stand up against banning of any books. Keep up the excellent reporting.
To think that we now have FREEDOM TO READ organizations! ...in 2023! Who would have ever thought we'd be marching backward because of people straining to control others' minds...all to avoid feeling uncomfortable!
Thank you, Judd, for keeping the focus on these people who could easily be dismissed as boring fools. Their intentions and drive are "not nothin'". All of our freedoms can disappear if we don't remain vigilant.
Every time I read about the banning of books in Florida schools I cannot help but remember that this is what the fascists did with their public book burnings in Germany. Although DeSantis leads the way, the actual banning is accomplished by MAGA motivated citizens and school officials. It is not just DeSantis doing this, it is fearful, misinformed, angry citizens carrying out his agenda. They are analogous to “Hitlers Willing Executioners” who said that they were only following orders.
They should read Timothy Snyder's 'Tyranny'. Oh, wait, they can't - it must have been banned on a multitude of grounds. But the rest of us should read it if we haven't.
This is all part of the DeSantis/MAGA plan to ensure the next generation of voters is not equipped to compete in the 21st century and will therefore be open to the right wing propaganda that is pushed at them. It's all about scapegoating the gays and the brown people rather than the greedy billionaires and millionaire pastors that are the real causes of their distress.
The Florida book purge is right out of you know when and where.
If it isn't checked now it will spread to ban an ever widening circle of books and open the door to a flood of newly written fascist-friendly children's books.
History tells us book bans fail in the long term (see Renaissance) but only after wreaking horrible damage in the near term (see Dark Ages).
If ever there was a cause for resistance, this is it.
Yes, an excellent point. Just like air and water a void in communication (ex: books) will be filled. When “crt” etc. was taken out of classrooms. PragerU and other trash came in.
Florida's law, and the refusal to clarify what it means would be laughable if it were not so destructive for kids in Florida Schools. What is the goal? Do they really think that if they remove any hint that there are gay people in the books kids read none of those kids will grow up and identify as gay? Or that kids will not know that some people are gay? As kids are growing up and trying to figure out who they are, the question at the heart of that search is "Is it OK to be me"? If you see no examples of people like you in anything you read and your teachers are not allowed to talk about people like you, a child's inevitable conclusion is that it is not OK to be who they are. Overcoming that rejection is an enormous burden to place on a child. All of us have the right to be who we are, and kids need to know they should accept people who are different from them. All of us do better if we care about and work with each other, no matter our differences.
Another depressing report from Florida schools. I keep wondering: very little reference to parents in these stories; it's usually organizations taking the lead in opposition. Are parents powerless until the next elections? Or are most parents in Florida OK with this?
Clearly, the Bible will have to go. Anyone who reads the story of David and Jonathan with their eyes open recognizes that they were in love with each other (after Jonathan is killed in battle, David mourns him saying "Your love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women"). Then there's the relationship between Paul and Onesimus, not to mention the relationship between the Roman Centurian and his "pais" whom Jesus healed without judgment or question, and if we really want to look clearly, the relationship between Jesus and "the disciple whom he loved" who reclined with his head against Jesus' chest throughout "the last supper."
The Bible contains same sex relationships not to mention erotic poetry (Song of Songs), polygamy, and sexual violence. How can we possibly allow youngsters to read it before they're at least 18 years old?
The statement by Vianello, “books with [t]hese characters and themes cannot exist." Sums up the goal of DeSatanist & his ilk (aka MAGA GOP). They want freedom of expression to “not exist”. They want freedom to chose to “not exist”. Therefore they want freedom to “not exist”.
Once again, for anyone who still lives in a place where the book banners haven't shown up yet, pay attention to what's going on at your local school district and public libraries. Show up and speak out. Read your library's collection development policy or materials selection policy. These statements should specifically state that the library follows the American Library Association's Library Bill of Rights, Freedom to Read, and Freedom to View statements - all of which protect each person's right to read any information, no matter how controversial. It also clearly states that parents DO have the right to guide their own children in reading choices, but that no single parent or a group has the right to choose for children who are not their own.
In addition, encourage your libraries, if they don't already have such a statement, to include language like this (which I found in a library policy in a very conservative district):
The library is not a judicial body. Laws governing obscenity, subversive materials, and other
questionable matters are subject to interpretation by the courts. Consequently, no
challenged material will be removed from the library for complaints of obscenity,
pornography, subversiveness, or any other category covered by law until after receipt of an
independent court order. Conversely, materials previously judged unlawful will not
knowingly be selected.
If you are a school library, clearly state in your policy that only a parent with a child actively enrolled in your school may fill out a "request for reconsideration form", and that they must have read the book they are challenging in its entirety (so that they can't challenge books they've only heard about). Also, state in your policy that they can only challenge one book at a time, and that any challenged book stays on the shelf pending the outcome of the challenge process. Finally, make it clear that any book challenge form turned in becomes public record in the case that someone else files a Request for Public Records form or a Freedom of Information Act request.
Finally, if you are lucky enough to live in a state that hasn't lost its collective mind, contact your state legislators and demand they pass a law similar to Illinois's law which bans book banning.
Speak up! Speak out! Get active on this issue or it WILL come to your town.
Small town Reference Librarian here. It has.
This will do so much harm to so many children. As a young child, I knew I was different but had no guidance. I grew up feeling like a lesser person because I was different. These laws could not be more harmful to young people. They will grow and they will learn but why, intentionally make their lives more miserable, sad and lonely??? Hateful adults subject children to this type of ignorance.
The mental midgets who have implemented this law actually believe people become gay because they read about it. Books with gay characters are not pornographic or otherwise inappropriate.
So true. Their rationale is severely flawed.
"First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a socialist.
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me."
—Martin Niemöller
Are DeSantis and anti LGBTQ even aware of how ironic their hate is or even how it's nothing new? If so do they even care? Bloody fascists!
Thank you for keeping the spotlight on this issue, which I hope means keeping pressure on those states implementing authoritarian policies such as this one, to back off. We all must speak out and stand up against banning of any books. Keep up the excellent reporting.
To think that we now have FREEDOM TO READ organizations! ...in 2023! Who would have ever thought we'd be marching backward because of people straining to control others' minds...all to avoid feeling uncomfortable!
Thank you, Judd, for keeping the focus on these people who could easily be dismissed as boring fools. Their intentions and drive are "not nothin'". All of our freedoms can disappear if we don't remain vigilant.
The fascist brigade is marching through Florida, lead by a wanna be strong man in a pair of white go go boots. Unfathomable
Every time I read about the banning of books in Florida schools I cannot help but remember that this is what the fascists did with their public book burnings in Germany. Although DeSantis leads the way, the actual banning is accomplished by MAGA motivated citizens and school officials. It is not just DeSantis doing this, it is fearful, misinformed, angry citizens carrying out his agenda. They are analogous to “Hitlers Willing Executioners” who said that they were only following orders.
They should read Timothy Snyder's 'Tyranny'. Oh, wait, they can't - it must have been banned on a multitude of grounds. But the rest of us should read it if we haven't.
I’ll read it, thanks!
I've read it, it's well worth your time!
They are literally burning books in Missourah, so....
This is all part of the DeSantis/MAGA plan to ensure the next generation of voters is not equipped to compete in the 21st century and will therefore be open to the right wing propaganda that is pushed at them. It's all about scapegoating the gays and the brown people rather than the greedy billionaires and millionaire pastors that are the real causes of their distress.
If the law bans “gender identity” doesn’t that mean there can be no heterosexual charters either?
The Florida book purge is right out of you know when and where.
If it isn't checked now it will spread to ban an ever widening circle of books and open the door to a flood of newly written fascist-friendly children's books.
History tells us book bans fail in the long term (see Renaissance) but only after wreaking horrible damage in the near term (see Dark Ages).
If ever there was a cause for resistance, this is it.
Yes, an excellent point. Just like air and water a void in communication (ex: books) will be filled. When “crt” etc. was taken out of classrooms. PragerU and other trash came in.
It has begun...
After all my years on earth I should not be surprised at the lengths people will go to promote their hate and fear but this example still amazes me.
No book should ever be banned unless you start banning the Bible too !!
Florida's law, and the refusal to clarify what it means would be laughable if it were not so destructive for kids in Florida Schools. What is the goal? Do they really think that if they remove any hint that there are gay people in the books kids read none of those kids will grow up and identify as gay? Or that kids will not know that some people are gay? As kids are growing up and trying to figure out who they are, the question at the heart of that search is "Is it OK to be me"? If you see no examples of people like you in anything you read and your teachers are not allowed to talk about people like you, a child's inevitable conclusion is that it is not OK to be who they are. Overcoming that rejection is an enormous burden to place on a child. All of us have the right to be who we are, and kids need to know they should accept people who are different from them. All of us do better if we care about and work with each other, no matter our differences.
Another depressing report from Florida schools. I keep wondering: very little reference to parents in these stories; it's usually organizations taking the lead in opposition. Are parents powerless until the next elections? Or are most parents in Florida OK with this?
Clearly, the Bible will have to go. Anyone who reads the story of David and Jonathan with their eyes open recognizes that they were in love with each other (after Jonathan is killed in battle, David mourns him saying "Your love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women"). Then there's the relationship between Paul and Onesimus, not to mention the relationship between the Roman Centurian and his "pais" whom Jesus healed without judgment or question, and if we really want to look clearly, the relationship between Jesus and "the disciple whom he loved" who reclined with his head against Jesus' chest throughout "the last supper."
The Bible contains same sex relationships not to mention erotic poetry (Song of Songs), polygamy, and sexual violence. How can we possibly allow youngsters to read it before they're at least 18 years old?
Ha!
This is as insane as it is cruel.
Keep in mind, this is what the Republicans want to do across the country.