Librarians in public schools in Charlotte County, Florida, were instructed by the school district superintendent to remove all books with LGBTQ characters or themes from school and classroom libraries. The guidance by Charlotte County Superintendent Mark Vianello and the school board's attorney, Michael McKinley, was obtained by the Florida Freedom to Read Project (FFTRP) through a public records request and shared with Popular Information. FFTRP requested "electronic records of district and school decisions regarding classroom and library materials." In response, FFTRP received a document memorializing a July 24 conversation between Vianello and district librarians, known in Florida as media specialists.

Librarians in public schools in Charlotte County, Florida, were instructed by the school district superintendent to remove all books with LGBTQ characters or themes from school and classroom libraries. The guidance by Charlotte County Superintendent Mark Vianello and the school board’s attorney, Michael McKinley, was obtained by the Florida Freedom to Read Project (FFTRP) through a public records request and shared with Popular Information. FFTRP requested “electronic records of district and school decisions regarding classroom and library materials.” In response, FFTRP received a document memorializing a July 24 conversation between Vianello and district librarians, known in Florida as media specialists.

    • Strawberry
      3·
      1 year ago

      children have the right to a proper education and we as society have a responsibility to provide it. Religious private schooling is a failure in that regard and should not be permitted, much less funded at the expense of public schools and the children who attend them. Voucher programs rob from the budget of already underfunded (supposedly) secular public schools

    • Dark Arc@social.packetloss.ggEnglish
      1·
      1 year ago

      I don’t share your faith (or even really have one that’s got a name), but I respect your tone and the thought you’ve put into this.

      I share the other commenter’s dislike of charter schools.

      if what you believe is true, then mere pieces of paper with drawings and text in them should change nothing. Let God sort it out later. You just live your life.

      This is largely what I believe. As long as the person isn’t hurting someone else, leave it to the higher power to sort it out. Asserting control over another’s life is actively in the way of their own life’s journey.

      I don’t believe a book that benevolently presents a character that’s LGBTQ is going to change anyone’s gender identity or sexuality.

      I was called “Wanda” in high school by some close friends because I didn’t act like the typical teenaged boy (read: I wasn’t being a jackass). I’m still a straight guy despite having that (friendly) nickname for a few years that was a totally different gender.

      I trust the kids here to do the right thing for themselves. We don’t as adults need to limit their world view, especially teenagers; that just seems like a recipe for resentment. i.e. just leave the books alone, it’s not a problem that needs solving.