Opinion
By George Miller, 1-13-25
An acquaintance shared these ideas with me today regarding school library book challenges in Florida. The state has strict laws about regulating inappropriate books in public school libraries used by children. A hearing was held tonight on the challenge process in Nassau County School District (NCSD).
1. A Challenge process for parents and residents should never replace a school board, Administrator, or Media specialist’s independent and preceding responsibility/oath to remove offensive material at the outset…without the burdensome challenge process. The law actually requires this. The offending books shouldn’t be granted access waiting for a parent to do the quality control through a burdensome challenge .
2. When book passages are read at a public school mtg and the reading is stopped or the cameras turned off, the book must be removed from the district. Correct?
3. No student, certainly no minor, should serve on the challenge committee? It’s a conflict to say the least.
4. Can Legal fees for protracted battles to remove books be considered?
5. Who will remind the NCSD personnel of the possibility of a referral to the State’s Attorney’s Office for distribution of obscene materials?
Finally the community’s initiatives to stop this material from falling into children’s hands is not Banning Books…it’s Pulling Porn.
