I certainly hope the higher courts uphold this on appeal. It’s archaic. I am incensed by the gall some people have for thinking they have the right to judge.
Agreed. It's insane to think someone presumes to decide what everyone else can be allowed to read, study and enjoy, to supposedly "protect them" from "dangerous influences."
Especially when these fanatics are, by their book bans, violating federal civil rights laws.
These laws are about oppression. There can be no voices in American life that don't come from straight white Christians, and someone please explain to me how there are Black Americans who belong to the GOP.
Marycat2021, I second Louise C's agreement here. I especially used to ask myself this question about Justice Thomas, given the hostility in his rulings to policies and programs that help POC. I only wish I knew about the trips and gifts he's gotten from his "good friend" Crow all these years. It would have clarified things a lot faster. I suspect that the other AA GOP members are also recipients of friendly gifts or beneficial connections.
A little slow on the uptake. First Admendmant violation was the immediate thing that popped into my head weeks ago when these book bans were announced. That and parents recalling the school boards. Democrats of Florida, organize, register young people to vote, get some good candidates for every race coming up and support them all the way to the victory platform.
High time these backwards, bigoted bullies were challenged. And, what kind of “English teacher,” who, presumably studied English literature at the college level, would ban so many books? She needs to: 1. Get laid; 2. Read more literature. Put down the damned bible, turn off the Fox Boob Tube, and do some serious reading. . .
Now, when can we file a Class Action lawsuit to repeal “Citizens United”?
Dawna, Adam, please think before you respond. Suggesting that Vickie Baggett “get laid” is misogynistic and every bit as offensive as Trump and his “grabbing pussies”. I doubt you intended to imitate the former guy and his loose tongue.
Judith, I don't believe Adam and Dawna had any misogynistic intent in their statements. I think they deduced that Ms. Baggett needed to address her sexual needs, because she appears obsessed with sexual congress and seems to see it in everything, even the most innocuous situations. Books that simply note something, like the actual documented account of two male penguins parenting a baby penguin, or the way a character in a book identifies themselves, seem to immediately become graphic descriptions of sexual acts for Baggett. It is this incredible leap from benign adjective, or statement, to hedonistically graphic sexual imagination they refer to.
You're welcome Judith. I also appreciate your efforts to show humanity to a woman who's been hostile and inhumane to others. Kindness to the seemingly undeserving is something I'm continuing to try to achieve.
I remember when a friend I grew up with was in dental school. He and I were chatting about stuff. He mentioned that my sister had been in to see him complaining about her mouth hurting or something equally forgettable (it was 50 years ago, pre-HIPAA). What I do remember is his guy-to-guy comment: she just needs to get laid.
I was privately gobsmacked. Not because it was about my sister, but because it was such a misogynistic comment. You are completely correct. The phrase is offensive. While the intent of the comment in this case was partially tongue-in-cheek, I suspect that that's always the intent with comments like grabbing pussies and getting laid.
The question, of course, is this extreme form of PC? I mean, I literally found the phrase offensive half a century ago. Just because the intent is not meant to be offensive (I mean, the orange alien certainly had no clue that his comment could possibly be construed as offensive) doesn't obviate the underpinnings, which have a deep history going back to the Freudian concept of hysteria in women.
IOW, I agree with you, even with the firm knowledge that the OP's intent was not to offend. As in law, lack of knowledge doesn't change the fact of violation.
We are always really grateful for your detailed explanations. I'm not an attorney much less a constitutional attorney such as President Obama or former US Senator Russ Feingold. I'm embarrassed to ask this question: Why isn't the Civil Rights Division of the DOJ involved in filing these lawsuits against Escambia County and Florida? Per the charter of the Civil Rights Division: "The Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice, created in 1957 by the enactment of the Civil Rights Act of 1957, works to uphold the civil and constitutional rights of all persons in the United States, particularly some of the most vulnerable members of our society. The Division enforces federal statutes prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity), disability, religion, familial status, national origin, and citizenship status." Is this division of the DOJ just so understaffed they cannot handle the caseload for all of the voter suppression tactics being implemented in states around the country (Texas, Florida, Ohio, other red states). Why do publishers, parents, teachers and non-profits such as PEN , ACLU, NAACP, and Elias Law Group (in the instance of voter suppression cases) have to tackle all of this? Thank you, as always.
I join you in your questions. And, I assumed that the many destructive and dangerous actions taken by Trump and his minions must have overwhelmed the DOJ (and added to that the many courts that couldn't function because judges were not voted on and sworn in). Please, keep asking that question in various quarters.
Vicki Baggett’s overall goal is not to protect students exploration of knowledge and themselves, but to have them conform to her vision of knowledge and individuality. Shades of Fahrenheit 451. The federal lawsuit should be tagged - “Montag v Beatty”.
There are a few loosely organized groups fighting this in FL—maybe try googling them, I can’t remember the names right now, but I do remember the Lakeland Ledger had an excellent article about 6 months or so ago.
One woman's "fear" with backing by a GOP governor. I sounds more like a huge power play that is much like the Jan 6 attack on US FED government. This is a small scale fascist play. But if children / educators can't discuss anything about how fascism works it does not bode well for democracy.
Judd’s investigations are yielding many positive outcomes. From shining a light on the apparent illegalities of the Speaker of the state of Tennessee to the unconstitutional banning of books in the Free State of Florida.
We live in truly perilous times where radical right wingers are using the power of the state in ways that harm and even criminalize its citizens. Keep up the investigations Judd!
I would love to see your turn your attention to what is happening in Ohio right now. Specifically the August special election and the passage of Senate Bill 83 (now headed to the House). It’s akin to the goings on in Florida but not receiving the same national attention due to not having a Governor flirting with the White House.
Looks like a school board not qualified to define or competent enough to understand what education is all about. Public education should not be used to suppress minority opinion or personal inquiry.
Finally we hear from the parents! A few weeks ago I had the chance to hear a panel that included someone from Pen America and he had encyclopedic knowledge of discriminatory laws newly on the books, where they were being enforced and the demographics of the affected populations. Their involvement should help to keep this story in the news, but I think PI was among the first if not only journalism team that interviewed Baggett. Excellent work. Thank you.
Thanks for staying on these stories, Judd. I appreciate your reporting and providing clear and concise descriptions of what is at stake for all of us if we don’t push back in court and at the polls
Love your reporting. Q: Has anyone thought of challenging the bible? By the definitions used by others, one can find all sorts of objectionable passages in there.
I certainly hope the higher courts uphold this on appeal. It’s archaic. I am incensed by the gall some people have for thinking they have the right to judge.
Agreed. It's insane to think someone presumes to decide what everyone else can be allowed to read, study and enjoy, to supposedly "protect them" from "dangerous influences."
Especially when these fanatics are, by their book bans, violating federal civil rights laws.
These laws are about oppression. There can be no voices in American life that don't come from straight white Christians, and someone please explain to me how there are Black Americans who belong to the GOP.
Marycat2021, I second Louise C's agreement here. I especially used to ask myself this question about Justice Thomas, given the hostility in his rulings to policies and programs that help POC. I only wish I knew about the trips and gifts he's gotten from his "good friend" Crow all these years. It would have clarified things a lot faster. I suspect that the other AA GOP members are also recipients of friendly gifts or beneficial connections.
Agreed
A little slow on the uptake. First Admendmant violation was the immediate thing that popped into my head weeks ago when these book bans were announced. That and parents recalling the school boards. Democrats of Florida, organize, register young people to vote, get some good candidates for every race coming up and support them all the way to the victory platform.
I was thinking "Larry Flynt" while I was reading this.
I was thinking that teacher really has a dirty mind.
High time these backwards, bigoted bullies were challenged. And, what kind of “English teacher,” who, presumably studied English literature at the college level, would ban so many books? She needs to: 1. Get laid; 2. Read more literature. Put down the damned bible, turn off the Fox Boob Tube, and do some serious reading. . .
Now, when can we file a Class Action lawsuit to repeal “Citizens United”?
May I make a suggestion? Let's re-order the list. 1). Put down the bible and turn off Fox. 2). Get laid! 3). Read more literature.
Howzat?
Adam, I wouldn't reorder. I would simply add, *get laid* between each item listed! She needs it badly! That's a list I think she needs! 🐈
You bad!
Dawna, Adam, please think before you respond. Suggesting that Vickie Baggett “get laid” is misogynistic and every bit as offensive as Trump and his “grabbing pussies”. I doubt you intended to imitate the former guy and his loose tongue.
Judith, I don't believe Adam and Dawna had any misogynistic intent in their statements. I think they deduced that Ms. Baggett needed to address her sexual needs, because she appears obsessed with sexual congress and seems to see it in everything, even the most innocuous situations. Books that simply note something, like the actual documented account of two male penguins parenting a baby penguin, or the way a character in a book identifies themselves, seem to immediately become graphic descriptions of sexual acts for Baggett. It is this incredible leap from benign adjective, or statement, to hedonistically graphic sexual imagination they refer to.
Thank you CJ. That was a well put and most appropriate reply.
You're very welcome. As we often agree, I took the liberty of adding some additional context to your comment. Glad I had it right. Ha ha ha!
Thank you for the clarification.
You're welcome Judith. I also appreciate your efforts to show humanity to a woman who's been hostile and inhumane to others. Kindness to the seemingly undeserving is something I'm continuing to try to achieve.
I remember when a friend I grew up with was in dental school. He and I were chatting about stuff. He mentioned that my sister had been in to see him complaining about her mouth hurting or something equally forgettable (it was 50 years ago, pre-HIPAA). What I do remember is his guy-to-guy comment: she just needs to get laid.
I was privately gobsmacked. Not because it was about my sister, but because it was such a misogynistic comment. You are completely correct. The phrase is offensive. While the intent of the comment in this case was partially tongue-in-cheek, I suspect that that's always the intent with comments like grabbing pussies and getting laid.
The question, of course, is this extreme form of PC? I mean, I literally found the phrase offensive half a century ago. Just because the intent is not meant to be offensive (I mean, the orange alien certainly had no clue that his comment could possibly be construed as offensive) doesn't obviate the underpinnings, which have a deep history going back to the Freudian concept of hysteria in women.
IOW, I agree with you, even with the firm knowledge that the OP's intent was not to offend. As in law, lack of knowledge doesn't change the fact of violation.
We are always really grateful for your detailed explanations. I'm not an attorney much less a constitutional attorney such as President Obama or former US Senator Russ Feingold. I'm embarrassed to ask this question: Why isn't the Civil Rights Division of the DOJ involved in filing these lawsuits against Escambia County and Florida? Per the charter of the Civil Rights Division: "The Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice, created in 1957 by the enactment of the Civil Rights Act of 1957, works to uphold the civil and constitutional rights of all persons in the United States, particularly some of the most vulnerable members of our society. The Division enforces federal statutes prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity), disability, religion, familial status, national origin, and citizenship status." Is this division of the DOJ just so understaffed they cannot handle the caseload for all of the voter suppression tactics being implemented in states around the country (Texas, Florida, Ohio, other red states). Why do publishers, parents, teachers and non-profits such as PEN , ACLU, NAACP, and Elias Law Group (in the instance of voter suppression cases) have to tackle all of this? Thank you, as always.
Last night Joyce Vance mentioned the DOJ's possible engagement:
https://open.substack.com/pub/joycevance/p/a-little-optimism-in-the-middle-of
(I've been wondering the same thing about the DOJ!)
Thank you, Joyce is a treasure (in many ways).
Thank you. It must be serious understaffing and budget cuts under trump.
I join you in your questions. And, I assumed that the many destructive and dangerous actions taken by Trump and his minions must have overwhelmed the DOJ (and added to that the many courts that couldn't function because judges were not voted on and sworn in). Please, keep asking that question in various quarters.
They have to wait until these laws are signed/policies are in officially in place to have something to fight against.
Vicki Baggett’s overall goal is not to protect students exploration of knowledge and themselves, but to have them conform to her vision of knowledge and individuality. Shades of Fahrenheit 451. The federal lawsuit should be tagged - “Montag v Beatty”.
Way to go PI team!!!
We can sue teachers now thanks to Tropical Hitler so how can I, a parent sue her? How do we come together and litigate her hate in court?
There are a few loosely organized groups fighting this in FL—maybe try googling them, I can’t remember the names right now, but I do remember the Lakeland Ledger had an excellent article about 6 months or so ago.
Thank you so much I truly appreciate that I will
Saw an article today and came across this group that’s fighting against moms for liberty: https://neighborsfored.org/
They are based in Colorado, but if you look at their tweet threads there are links to other articles about other groups too
Wow! Judd and Friends strikes again.
That is a major coup for you and your team Judd. Keep it up! Keep those tootsies a'roastin!
I'd like to see University of Florida and others join in the suit as their future student body is being negatively impacted today.
They won’t, they are wholly owned by the state of Florida, and they just made Ben Sasse their president 🤮
What could go wrong?
One woman's "fear" with backing by a GOP governor. I sounds more like a huge power play that is much like the Jan 6 attack on US FED government. This is a small scale fascist play. But if children / educators can't discuss anything about how fascism works it does not bode well for democracy.
Judd’s investigations are yielding many positive outcomes. From shining a light on the apparent illegalities of the Speaker of the state of Tennessee to the unconstitutional banning of books in the Free State of Florida.
We live in truly perilous times where radical right wingers are using the power of the state in ways that harm and even criminalize its citizens. Keep up the investigations Judd!
Love your reporting, Judd and team.
I would love to see your turn your attention to what is happening in Ohio right now. Specifically the August special election and the passage of Senate Bill 83 (now headed to the House). It’s akin to the goings on in Florida but not receiving the same national attention due to not having a Governor flirting with the White House.
Agreed. There's a lot happening in Ohio too.
Looks like a school board not qualified to define or competent enough to understand what education is all about. Public education should not be used to suppress minority opinion or personal inquiry.
Finally we hear from the parents! A few weeks ago I had the chance to hear a panel that included someone from Pen America and he had encyclopedic knowledge of discriminatory laws newly on the books, where they were being enforced and the demographics of the affected populations. Their involvement should help to keep this story in the news, but I think PI was among the first if not only journalism team that interviewed Baggett. Excellent work. Thank you.
Thanks for staying on these stories, Judd. I appreciate your reporting and providing clear and concise descriptions of what is at stake for all of us if we don’t push back in court and at the polls
Love your reporting. Q: Has anyone thought of challenging the bible? By the definitions used by others, one can find all sorts of objectionable passages in there.
I think someone in another state already has that going IIRC