According to the Miami Herald – Miami-Dade County last month issued restrictions for elementary-aged students on three books and the poem “The Hills We Climb,” written and read aloud by Amanda Gorman at President Joe Biden’s inauguration.
This is at the request of one parent who objected to five titles, claiming they included topics that were inappropriate for students and should be removed “from the total environment.”
The move — which allows for middle school students at the school to access the titles — is the latest example of districts and schools across the state restricting or removing books from libraries in recent months.
For Stephana Ferrell, the director of research and insight at Florida Freedom to Read Project, it underscores a growing trend to redefine what is considered age appropriate, “especially regarding books that address ethnicities, marginalized communities, racism or our history of racism.”
This news comes on the heels of the NAACP issuing a travel advisory to African Americans who plan to go to Florida, calling the State openly hostile.
According to CNN:
“Beware that your life is not valued,” NAACP President and CEO Derrick Johnson told CNN on Monday. He cited a new DeSantis-backed law allowing gun owners to carry a concealed weapon without a permit, as well as education policies that include a ban on teaching about gender identity and sexual orientation through 12th grade.
“Florida is openly hostile toward African Americans, people of color and LGBTQ+ individuals,” the NAACP said. “Before traveling to Florida, please understand that the state of Florida devalues and marginalizes the contributions of, and the challenges faced by African Americans and other communities of color.”
Under DeSantis, Florida has banned the teaching of critical race theory, which acknowledges systemic racism is a part of American history and challenges the beliefs that allowed it to flourish. The governor said the concept would teach children “the country is rotten and that our institutions are illegitimate.”
Florida knows it can take one day off, right?
— Matt Anderson (@mattbegins) May 23, 2023
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Time to cut Florida loose.https://t.co/QxaWF4Autf
— Tea Pain (@TeaPainUSA) May 23, 2023
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These folks don't care about the transparency of their racist . Somehow I doubt that the person who objected never listened to or read the poem. Ms. Gorman being black was reason enough. https://t.co/5YB9e3Rr7A
— Larry Middleton – Post: @L78lancer 💙🇺🇸🌻 (@l78lancer) May 23, 2023
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We are way past the point of WTF⁉️🆘🆘🆘🆘🆘🆘🆘https://t.co/dp6u2xdUyW
— ᕼᗴᗪᗩ💕🟦🟧🇺🇦🌎🏳️🌈🐶🕊️🌊 (@hedahunter) May 23, 2023
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Why should one parent get to decide what every other student read???
Florida school bans poem read at Joe Biden's inauguration. https://t.co/hRAnDaS0XC
— Covie (@covie_93) May 23, 2023
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I need someone to draw me a Venn diagram or matrix of what Republicans believe parents can and cannot choose… and for whose children they can choose it.
This shit is criminally stupid. https://t.co/PY4idO020x
— T in KC (@guardianogeloso) May 23, 2023
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Hate has NO place in education!
Please VOTE 💙 to allow children to learn without hate!
Florida school bans poem read at Biden inauguration! https://t.co/1Iy9znERBk
— Rhonda💙 (@Rhondizzle3) May 23, 2023
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I don't do politics on this feed, but when I heard that I Amanda Gorman's poem was being banned by a Florida school, I literally laughed. Things are getting sicker and sicker in this country. https://t.co/E7EU42ZBmZ
— Steven Strogatz (@stevenstrogatz) May 23, 2023
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Another reason the #NAACP issued a travel advisory to Florida.#Florida school bans poem read at #Biden inauguration after objection of just one parenthttps://t.co/aT2uN5F1rk
— BMB Empower Network (@BmbEmpower) May 23, 2023
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