'My heart is broken': Florida teachers ordered to remove, block class libraries or face felony prosecution - Alternet.org
By: David Badashand
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Teachers in Manatee County, Florida, are being ordered to remove or make inaccessible libraries of books inside their classrooms or face possible felony prosecution, as the district responds to legislation Governor Ron DeSantis signed into law prohibiting any books that have not been thoroughly vetted by a credentialed librarian.
The law, which went into effect at the start of this year, "is based on the premise, promoted by right-wing advocacy groups, that teachers and librarians are using books to 'groom' students or indoctrinate them with leftist ideologies," according to Judd Legum at Popular Information.
He puts it simply: "classroom libraries that are curated by teachers, not librarians, are now illegal."
"My heart is broken for Florida students today as I am forced to pack up my classroom library," one teacher wrote on Facebook, Legum reports.
Calling it a "travesty to education, the future of our children and our nation," another teacher lamented they have spent 18 years "dedicated to providing students with quality literature," and helping them "connect with books and develop a love of lifelong learning," but now they will have to dismantle their classroom library.
Kevin Chapman, the Chief of Staff for the Manatee County School District, "says that school principals in Manatee County were told Wednesday that any staff member violating these rules by providing materials 'harmful to minors' could be prosecuted for 'a felony of the third degree.'"
Not only are teachers now packing up their classroom libraries, but children are being told they are not allowed to bring any books from home to school.
Books can be returned to the classroom only after vigorous review by certified librarians, whose official title is media specialist. They are also subject to felony prosecution if they make any errors.
"That review must also be consistent with a complex training," Legum reports, "which was heavily influenced by right-wing groups like Moms For Liberty and approved by the Florida Department of Education just last week. Any mistake by a librarian or others could result in criminal prosecution. This process must be repeated for any book brought into the school on an ongoing basis. But librarians and teachers are not being provided with any additional compensation for the extra work."
Earlier on Monday Gov. DeSantis defended the decision to ban advanced placement for African American history classes in Florida.
Standing in a school classroom at a podium with a sign that reads, "Florida, the education state," DeSantis declared the "issue is we have guidelines and standards in Florida."
"We want education, not indoctrination. If you fall on the side of indoctrination, we're going to decline. If it's education, then we will do."
"This course on Black history. What are one of, what's one of the lessons about? Queer theory."
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This is getting ridiculous.
What is next, throwing a neighbor in jail that gave a kid a book?
So these assholes say they are stopping indoctrination by having a 'specialist' of their choice decide what books kids can read or bring to class.
Want books decided by a right wing group....
No one wants radicals deciding what books are used. Conservative or liberal.
It’s pretty simple really.
Educate, not indoctrinate.
Yet here we are with the supposed bias and the right wing wanting schools run a certain way.
I say politics get the fuck out of schools.
All this is going to do is hinder teachers abilities. Basically the dumbing down of the school system.
Do you really think a teacher should be stuck with felony charges just because they let a kid read Tom Sawyer?
Bullshit. Conservatives desperately want their brand of religion shoved down every child's throat from the moment they're born and they don't give a fuck about the means because in their small warped indoctrinated minds the ends justify the means. Radical rightwing conservatives have been fighting to decide what books will be available in public school libraries for decades.
So having somebody credentialed to be involved is somehow bad?
Already noted above.
Educate, not indoctrinate. The knife cuts both ways. The left can’t have it’s cake and eat it to on this topic. Teach all history, warts and all. Don’t try to change it, sanitized it or infuse it with unrelated indoctrination.
And trying to compare a book like Tom Sawyer to this AP class content, truly is obtuse IMO.
Any supposition that progressive/liberal radicals don’t try to do the same thing is ridiculous.
That’s the real bullshit here.
Credentialed in what way?
I agree. I also agree with letting kids have conversations that may make some people uncomfortable.
Tom Sawyer was just an example as I remember a time when people freaked about about the racism in the book.
How about a credentialed librarian. You know, like the article mentions.
Don't they have those already? Now you want to give Librarians authority over what kids can read...
I hear what your saying.
No parent wants a radical, left or right wing, deciding what is taught to their kids unless they happen to be one of those radicals.
Teach the truth, don’t embellish it, add to it or sanitize it unless absolutely necessary.
Credentialed by whom? DeSantis? He's already staffed the Florida Education Department with sycophants.
Is that what the Florida law states?
What it actually states is:
I don't know. I imagine each state is run differently. Although I would think it would be standardized under the Department of Education. But we've seen how much of a failure that's been.
If it's within and supports the school curriculum why wouldn't they.
Call me an old hippie yet I don't want the state, the schools or the feds deciding what me or my kids can or cannot read.
I know that is an exaggeration but let's be real. Kids carry books with them to read in their down time. No outside books allowed? It has to be run through the Librarian who has to check a data base? Can only use approved books from the school library?
Sorry but that sounds a lot like....
I agree. But that's exactly what we are seeing. I'm all for reading requirements that support the curriculum. But I have seen some that are borderline pornography.
I agree that is an exaggeration. There is really no way of controlling what books are available to kids at home. And to have a school official running around trying to keep them out of the school is insane. The parents do have to take some responsibility in all of this.
The last part was not an exaggeration. Seriously, what are they going to do...not let kids bring in books from home?
Parents can be very fickle. On one hand they don't want to teach their kids shit and want the schools to do it, on the other hand they throw a hissy fit about them leaning simple things.
This whole it is up to the parents to decide what is taught is bullshit. There are set standards and saying you don't want your kids taught certain things is just using their own insecurities if not bigotries to dictate to the child.
Fine and dandy, keep one's child in the dark. Just don't dictate that, that is how everyone else should do it.
“The parents do have to take some responsibility in all of this.”
Totally agree. If fact, it is involved parents that should be driving the school bus…so to speak.
Get to know your child’s teacher. Have a concern, meet with him or her. Unresolved, meet with your principal. Still a problem, get on the school board agenda. Still unsatisfied, look to different options.
Education is that unusual system that functions best from the bottom up…not from the state or federal level.
So you think teachers should be able to display porn, KKK propaganda etc in their classroom?
Do you think Mein Kampf should be off limits to teenagers?
Probably shouldn't be in a high school library, but I wouldn't ban it. Which is the distinction you seem to be missing. Just because a book isn't purchased or displayed by a school doesn't mean its banned.
But do you support KKK books for kids being made available to kids in 3rd grade classrooms?
I don't think they are.
I have said before that most of the problems could be handled at the local level.
To answer you though, no.
Then we agree you do want the the state, the schools or the feds deciding what me or my kids can or cannot read. Pretty much everyone agrees there is some material that schools shouldn't provide to kids, particularly the youngest, and it's just a question of where the line is drawn, and 99% of material will be agreed to by everyone as being on one side or the other.
where do you think most republicans come from? /s
they'll be restricted to the Bible possibly the Book of Mormon
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Ok, then, I want an accurate translation of the Song of Songs in that Bible. They don't want sexual content? They'd better have their fainting couches handy.
lol
I think if that Book was translated into modern English it would be labeled pornography
But I guess porno is ok if it's in the Bible
school text books are already written and printed by those with questionable agendas. only the parents that rarely set foot in a library when they were young seem to be upset about this non-issue. what kids today haul a book around when they have access to a phone or computer? what will be the first thing they do when they see mom and dad get all jacked up over the title of a book in their school library? want to keep literature with the most vile and offensive subjects of humankind out their reach until they're mature enough to handle it? then ban the fucking bible.
Churches have been indoctrinating kids for centuries. Maybe it should be a felony to take kids to church.
Religious right wing wackos get bent out of shape about LGBTQ indoctrinating or worse grooming children but they never talk about their religious leaders grooming children. It happens every day in churches, mosques, and synagogues
Nah but maybe it should be a felony when people try to tell other people what they should and shouldn’t do with their kids.
Be a shitload of teachers in jail if that were true ......
Along with the Governor of Florida. How is having a book in the classroom telling parents how to raise their kids?
May not matter soon, they are quitting in droves, 300,000 in the last two years.
Educate not indoctrinate.
Guess that 300k lost their passion for “teaching” kids eh?
I think that there are less than 200,000 teacher positions in Florida. They have about a 3% shortage currently.
cool. eliminate all religious schools.
Stalin would be so proud.
Rightwing religious conservatives: "It is our right to label those disgusting vile lgtbq sinners as Evil!".
Author who supports diversity: "LGTBQ persons are just as valuable and have the same rights as any other humans".
Rightwing religious conservatives: "Ban the books that dare indoctrinate children with ideas counter to our Christian indoctrination! How dare anyone challenge our God's authority!".
Good luck with him taking stances like this nationwide. He will not win on a national stage with this crap.
I think the whole thing is a cynical political tactic to stoke fear in the populace so they’ll support their Republican “saviors.”
Having said that, this is how education works in our country. The state controls what goes on at public schools. Government makes a million choices, many of which, we don’t think a lot about. What feels here like censorship is one of those choices the state can make.
In fact, K-12 schools are not some free marketplace of ideas. We might like to imagine they are, but they aren’t. The state has the authority to determine what classes are offered, what the curricula look like, and what books are available.
Sorry but I don't see the state as having the right to hand out felonies to teachers that decided to bring a fucking book to a school...
I think they probably do have that power. I agree with you that it’s extreme, but the state can make any crime it wants into a felony.
The people do have remedies. Vote the fascists out, or move.
And where is Biden's Department of Education? Oh that's right it's BIDEN's DOE, they're proving themselves to be just as competent as the rest of the Biden Administration.
The DOE doesn't have any authority to do anything to state run schools. It make rules on running federal education programs and coordinates benefits.
In a nut shell. They're useless and should be cut.
Unless they are peddling child porn, they have no reason to worry. But acting hysterically and playing the victim for sympathetic media is a favorite ploy of the left.
Do people think teachers don't get charged with crimes if they provide child porn to kids in other parts of the country?
Or talk about gay people....
You can. And to stop the other oft repeated lies, gay teachers can display pictures of their spouse or gay family members. You just can't teach kindergarteners about gay sex, which really upsets a lot of progressives.
Haha Yeah, where are all these teachers being brought up on charges for telling kids about porn...
Where are all these teachers being brought up on felony charges for having regular books in their classes?
A brand new law. We shall see where it goes. I am sure someone will test it.
Laws against giving pornography to kids have been on the books for a long time. The specific law referenced by the school district as raising the possibility of felony charges has been on the books for decades. Anything that would be a felony in a classroom this week under the law has pretty much always been a felony.
Say what you want, Imo this law goes beyond porn.
We are in to what DeSantis himself calls 'queer theory'.
As Lenny Bruce opined: "Depicting poor folks having sex is pornography, depicting wealthy people having sex is eroticism."
No one was teaching children about "gay sex" and no progressives were upset by teachers not being able to teach about gay sex. If you believe differently than first, prove it. Show where any teacher was trying to go into the details of gay sex to a classroom. Then, if you're successful, please do provide evidence of progressives being upset that kids aren't being taught about gay sex.
The reality is that apparently many mentally lazy dipshit right wing religious conservatives imagine that just by a teacher acting like the kid with two mommies is 'normal' means they are teaching the rest of the class about lesbian cunnilingus. Of course it's complete bullshit, but that's what rightwing religious conservatives sell everyday, gold painted bullshit.
Then why are you so upset about a law prohibiting it?
The only real problem I have with the law is that besides being completely useless and unnecessary, it is spending time and money on a non-problem that could be better spent on programs that actually help students and public schools.
Other than that it's of course somewhat annoying listening to fucking worthless religious conservative liars who make claims they can't back up at the expense of many American parents who happen to be lgtbq and are just trying to live in our society unmolested.
I wish I could give you 10 votes up on this comment. I laughed all the way thru it. I have the mentality of a 13 year old boy
They don't want children learning to think for themselves or discovering new things. They want them kept in the dark and fed horseshit. Children are not mushrooms...they are sponges. Let them be sponges
For religious conservatives, sex is something you never talk about because if you do you could go to hell. So even when Pastor Pete starts rubbing you in an inappropriate way, don't talk about it because A. talking about sex makes you a sinner, and B. no one will believe you anyway because Pastor Pete is so popular... You just have to 'suck it up' like the numb little inexperienced religious conservative spunk sponge you are, then go vote for DeSantis when you're old enough...
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Not sure where you got that personal attack from because there is nothing in my comment about wanting to teach six year old's about sex.
It's not up to me as to which age a parent decides to talk to their kids about sex, but for me as a parent it didn't seem appropriate till about eight years old. Of course that's a job for parents and not any school teachers, but I'm not seeing any teachers doing that anywhere but in rightwing religious conservatives fevered fantasies after they've spent too many hours listening to poisonous mentally ill right wing conservative media. That's what really gets religious conservative parents so fucking fearful they're willing to do anything, even voting for known sexual predators and liars, to protect their toxic rightwing religious conservative ideology.
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Guess what? I read D. H. Lawrence's Lady Chatterly's Lover when I was a kid and I didn't turn out to be a sex maniac. Of course I may be biased in my opinions on this since I majored in English Literature to earn my B.A., but IMO the Republicans are doing whatever they possibly can to "dumb down America" in order to guarantee their continuing being elected. Their biggest victory so far as I can see is that they have created an ultra-conservative SCOTUS which is going to help divide Americans enough to make the Grand Canyon resemble a crease in a piece of paper in comparison.
I was an idiot. I just read things like Ender's Game and Lord Of The Rings.
Nothing wrong with those, Ender. I spent a lot of my time reading science fiction and fantasy.
I have that book. I've had it for years but still haven't read it. I need to go find it
Considering the level to which pornography has advanced to these days, what might have been sensational when it was written is not so glaringly lewd now.
That was written in the 50's wasn't it?
It was written in the late 1920s. A few movies have already been made of the story - one as recently as 2022.
Considering the level to which pornography has advanced to these days, what might have been sensational when it was written is not so glaringly lewd now.