Again I keep saying this, it is a fundamentalist Christian attempt to remove all media featuring or talking about the LGBTQ+. They do not want LGBTQ+ children seeing themselves in media, in library books, but more important they do not want straight cis kids to read or see kids who are different who are accepted. They want kids to grow up thinking those LGBTQ+ kids are bad and need to be ostracized or harassed / threatened to be cis straight. They want to return to the society / schools of the 1950s. These people can not accept that other people and other cultures exist that are different from the way they feel or live. They want what Russia and Hungary did, outlaw being gay in public. Hugs
The Florida Department of Education has identified more than 50 books it says are no longer permitted in public schools across the state, citing inappropriate and pornographic content.
But some parents and advocacy groups are questioning whether the state should have the final say over what books are allowed in schools — including in Broward County.
A parent who spoke with Local 10’s Roy Ramos on Thursday with believes families should have input, and that local reviews should take place before books are removed.
“You will remove these 55 books,” said Stephana Ferrell, a parent and director of the Florida Freedom to Read Project, responding to the state’s recent directive.
The Department of Education’s list bans 55 titles from public school libraries statewide. Ferrell said the move overrides local input.
“Every district basically got that message that those 55 books violate the law according to the state. It doesn’t matter if local community standards say no, these books are okay for certain grades and we believe them to fit our community standards,” she said.
Local 10 obtained a copy of the banned list. Some of the titles were described by the state as pornographic and unsuitable for children.
Among them: Choke, This Book Is Gay, Forever, and Breathless.
Portions of these books contain graphic content, including descriptions of male genitalia, sexual acts and intercourse — some of which were too explicit to air on television.
“They are saying we can remove these books based on experts alone and it doesn’t matter what the literary value is,” Ferrell said. “They are making the argument that our school library are government speech and they can decide what is appropriate or not.”
Under current Florida law, parents may challenge books in their school district. Those challenges are then reviewed by a committee to determine whether the content is inappropriate.
Ferrell argues the state is bypassing that process entirely.
“I believe that you have to review these books in their entirety to determine whether or not the intent of the work is to sexually excite the reader,” she added. “There is no opportunity for local parents to get involved. “None of it matters. The state has decided for us.”
Broward County schools were given until Tuesday to comply with the directive and remove the books.
The list currently includes 55 titles, but critics believe more will be added.
Local 10 has reached out to Broward County Public Schools for comment on the state’s order.
Scottie's Playtime 
I agree, some books are entirely over the top for kids to read, but sometimes the banning is over the top, too. Parents should be part of the deal, for sure. My mother had a way of banning books she felt were too much for me to handle (since I would read anything I could find as a kid); it was quietly tucked away in a box on a closet shelf. When I got much older suddenly there was a Mickey Spillaine book on the book shelf. Aha, there’s “A Tree Grows in Brooklyn”. and “Tales of the Decameron” appeared to fill out the ‘set’ on the coffee table. =) In high school I actually gave a book report on “A Tree grown in Brooklyn” and my elderly and quite reserved English teacher nearly had a stroke. “Your mother let you read THAT?” “Why yes, she gave it to me when I had measles two years ago”…
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Hi Judy. I agree parents should have a say in what their children see and read. However the fundamentalist right wants to be the only parents who get a say. They want to ban books for all children not just their own.
As for what books should young people read? Well first it is important for young people to see themselves in media so they understand there is nothing wrong with them and that they are a part of society. Should children have access to books written for their age that deal with harsh subjects? Think of kids like me growing up. By the time I was given a book on child abuse by a town librarian it was too late for me. I understood better what was happening and why, but had I had that information in second grade rather than 6th or 7th a lot of my childhood might have been different.
The history of the US is harsh and slaves were mistreated and abused. Many white fundamentalist parents don’t want their children to learn of that because it might hurt the white kid’s feelings. A black kid learns of and is affected by racism well before even going to school, so white kids can learn about it also.
I would rather a kid read about sexual and gender subjects than right wing hatred. And the same people trying to ban books try to put bibles in every classroom and have it read to kids. There are horrific descriptions of sex, rape, violence, and mutilation in the bible that make what is in the books they want to ban seem very tame. Hugs
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