Books under assault in Florida. Parents need to speak up
My wife and I raised two daughters. I remember many great moments from their childhoods, but the memories that still stir me today are when I read to my kids. There’s just no better feeling than curling up with a little one to learn the ABCs with a picture book, enjoy some Dr. Seuss rhymes or visit the busy world of Richard Scarry.
Most parents want their children to be readers. We’re urged to read to our children and set a good example by letting them see us read. Public libraries sponsor summer reading programs with prizes for kids who read the most books. Public schools extol reading. Celebrities and sports figures often join campaigns urging youngsters to pick up a book. The Reading Is Fundamental campaign has been going strong since 1966.
Society seems to agree that reading is a good thing for children. How strange it is, then, to learn that many public school libraries can’t stock enough books. It’s not due to budget cuts; rather, the problem is censorship – and Florida, sadly, is leading the pack
Florida is among several states that have passed laws restricting material in school libraries or giving parents the power to review – and veto – titles. The result is fewer books on the shelves.
A new Florida law requires that books in school libraries be “suited to student needs” and that school librarians undergo special training relating to “the selection and maintenance of library collections.” These vague prohibitions are designed to warn school librarians – fewer books are better, and avoid anything controversial.
That’s just what’s happening. In Clay County, public school officials were uncertain how to interpret the law and put a hold on ordering new books. Julie Miller, a librarian for the district, said she would normally have ordered 30 new titles by this time of the year. She has ordered zero and plans to use the money allocated for books on new furniture for the library. In two counties’ public schools, classroom libraries have been covered up or removed.
Similar stories abound in other states. One Texas school district struggled to implement a new law giving parents 30 days to review titles before the school board approves them. The result is 6,000 fewer books on the shelves than in 2022.
In one Pennsylvania district, a school librarian bought about 100 books this year instead of the usual 600, in part because the principal has to approve every acquisition.
Not surprisingly, the books most frequently targeted deal with LGBTQ or racial issues. But fantasy novels and even history books are sometimes attacked by Christian nationalists who want to squelch a child’s natural desire to read, ask questions and learn. Several librarians note that students are clamoring for new titles, but the cupboard is bare.
Christian nationalists would rather our children be indoctrinated than educated. And while they’d be happy for kids to read the Bible, they fear wide reading in a variety of subjects because exposure to a world of ideas leads some people to challenge the narrow religious and political views of Christian nationalism.
As this wave of censorship engulfs our schools, there’s a natural force to stand up to it: all those parents who spent years urging their kids to put down a video game and pick up a book. Those moms and dads need to understand that their efforts will be in vain if the shelves are empty.
My daughters are grown women now, and I’m proud to say both are readers. But I know that my wife and I didn’t do it alone. A habit that started at home was reinforced in the public schools they attended.
Parents have the power to put a stop to the wave of censorship that is engulfing our schools. It’s time they used it.
Rob Boston is the editor of Church & State magazine, published by Americans United for Separation of Church and State. He will be speaking in Naples March 8 at 7 p.m. about attempts to undermine public education at an event co-sponsored by Americans United-Greater Naples Chapter and the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Greater Naples (UUCGN) as part of their annual Progressive Voices Speak Out lecture series. The event takes place at UUCGN, 6340 Napa Woods Way, Naples.
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Books under assault in Florida. Parents need to speak up
