Opinion
By Rich Lamken, 10-30-24
Last Thursday, a parent who filed an objection concerning 4 books that were recently returned to library shelves, as part of the settlement of a lawsuit against the Nassau County School District (NCSD), was given the opportunity to speak for 10 minutes at the School Board meeting. The books had been previously removed, based on violating the Florida standards for obscenity and pornography. She was not permitted to read quotations from the books because children could be viewing the livestream or, later, the video. Did the Board Attorney really say the quiet part out loud? Why would children not be able to hear an excerpt from a book available in their school library? Hmm.
No one was allowed to comment during the time on the agenda when the parent got to present and affirm her objection. At the time of the public presentation, four individuals spoke in support of this parent’s objection. I was one and presented the relevant content of the new guidelines, recently promulgated by the Florida Department of Education (FL DOE). The School Board attorney, making allegations re: the “changes” in the new guidelines, previously convinced the School Board to return the books to the school library shelves, some with age restrictions. In my previous review of the latest guidelines, I was unable to find his “alleged changes”.
What I did find on page 11 of the new guidelines, was:
“All materials in a school library or included on a reading list must be: 1. Free of Pornography which is defined as the depiction of erotic behavior (as in pictures or writing) intended to cause sexual excitement.”
The books were removed under this same criterion the first time. The FL DOE maintains this criterion under the “new” guidelines and these books should have never been returned to the shelves.
Fifteen or so individuals spoke out against the objection.
None of them addressed the issue of pornography and, instead, focused on their desire that their children and, indeed, all children have unfettered access to all these books and even more salacious and obscene “literature”. They were seemingly good with pornography and they expressed that it’s in the best interests of all the students in the NCSD that they have full access to all these books and they never mentioned their position on the prohibition in the FL DOE guidelines. They said that if any parent disagrees with their position, that parent should remove their child/children from NCSD schools and enroll in a “Christian school”, which, by the way, have very large waiting lists, some as long as three years. Their other alternative is that the parent should complete and sign the form to restrict their child’s access the library books and, then, just shut up. One of the speakers said, “It’s not our job, in a pluralistic society, to tell others what scripture says”. I guess she disagrees with John MacArthur, who says, “It is every Christian’s duty to study and teach the Scriptures. That is the clear implication of the Great Commission.”
I need to remind myself that these are the very same individuals who rabidly support Amendment 4 which will grant abortions on demand, up to and including the time of birth, to all, including minors without parental consent. Abortion would be the only medical procedure allowed to be performed on a minor without parental consent! They also want all abortions to be taxpayer paid.
They believe that men and women, whose expression of faith prompts them to stand up against DEI, SEL and other of today’s societal scourges, should be dismissed as “Christian nationalists”.
These individuals don’t believe in evil or sin unless you’re the one identifying something as evil or sinful and, then, that’s sinful activity.
They also want to change the designation of “pedophile” to “minor attracted person” and, in addition, decriminalize pedophilia.
I just want to clearly differentiate the two positions. Those, who spoke in support of the objection to the four books, want pornography removed and Florida law aligns with us. Those who objected to the removal of the four books are OK with having obscene and pornographic books in the schools and believe that embracing these books for all children is their right and puts them on the right side of history.
Here’s a novel idea, those of you who want your children exposed to pornography should form your own school and let every child read every available book regardless of content in the name of preparing children for the world and the global culture you embrace. These books have neither a place in the NCSD nor in any school, elementary, middle or high .
Rich Lamken is retired and lives with his wife, Meg in Fernandina Beach. He is a retired Assistant Superintendent of Schools, Human Resources/Technology. He was the Schools Division Lead of Common-Sense, Fernandina Beach and is the President of the Baptist Nassau Hospital Auxiliary.
The views and opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official position of Citizens Journal Florida.
