In a powerful display of unity and advocacy, a local Democratic club, concerned parents and citizens filled the room at a recent school board meeting, raising their voices against the threat of book bans in the community.
On April 22, 2022, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed House Bill (HB) 7 into law. HB 7 is largely centered on giving parents and members of the public broader access to the process of selecting — and eliminating — library books and instructional materials from schools.
Since HB 7, according to the Florida Department of Education website, www.fldoes.org, 1, 219 books have been objected to and 380 removed from circulation during 2022-23 in elementary, middle and high schools throughout the state of Florida. The 2024 numbers have not been released on the website.
More than 35 books have been taken out of circulation in the Nassau County School District (NCSD). These books have come from an internal process that all Nassau County schools are still conducting to review an estimated 236,664 books in all 17 school libraries and classrooms, which includes the community school at the Lewis “Red” Bean Center.
Zero books have been challenged by a parent or guardian of a Nassau County public school student or resident of Nassau County.
“The process has continued to evolve,” said Assistant Superintendent of Instruction District Mark Durham. “We have not had any parent or community member complete a Specific Material Objection form. However, a local nonprofit, Citizens Defending Freedom (CDF), has questioned 34 books, and district employees have brought three books to our attention.”
CDF has been a key player in efforts to ban books in Florida schools and has been an outspoken opponent of local LGBTQ public events.
During public presentations at the March 14 Nassau County School Board meeting, the following people stood before the Nassau County School Board to defend the principles of intellectual freedom and educational diversity. Most agreed that the sole entity deserving of prohibition is the nonprofit known as Citizens Defending Freedom.
Melissa Moss:
“I am the president of the Democratic Club of Amelia Island, a local membership association connecting Democrats and nonparty affiliates throughout the Fernandina Beach zip code. I am speaking in my role as a leader and representative of a local Democratic organization when I say we do not want to ban any book. Not the dictionary, not the Bible, not any other religious text. The freedom to read is fundamental for children to grow into adults with the capacity for critical thinking.
“We know that county school boards are subject to the rules of the Florida Department of Education, DOE. We understand the actions the Nassau County School Board is required to take. A new law is scheduled to go into effect July 1 (Florida Statute 1006.28 has been amended, originated as H.B. 1285) that declares a resident of the county who is not the parent or guardian of a student with access to school district materials may not object to more than one material per month.
“A recent settlement to Florida’s ‘Don’t Say Gay’ law has been reached. It requires the DOE to send clarifying instructions to every school district that will spell out, among other things, that the law does not apply to library books not being used for instruction in the classroom. The law also does not apply to books with incidental reference to LGBTQ characters or same-sex couples as they are not instruction on sexual orientation or gender identity.
“Given these outcomes, our final request is two-fold: That you act on the new legislation and settlement outcome with policies that support our children’s wellbeing as soon as legally possible. And until you can act, you will not entertain any further book challenges from this day forward.
“We thank you for your service and for your attention today.”
April Bogle reading for Natalie Voytac:
“I am writing to you as a concerned parent of students in the Nassau County School System regarding recent discussions about book banning in our county school system. As a staunch advocate for intellectual freedom and the importance of diverse perspectives in education, I urge you to resist any pressures to ban books and to reject interference from groups such as Citizens Defending Freedom.
“It is concerning to see outside groups attempting to influence curriculum decisions in our schools. While I respect the right to free speech and expression, I believe that educational policies should be based on sound, pedagogical principles and the expertise of educators rather than the agendas of special interest groups.”
Willow Emerson reading for Chris Schnider:
“I’m a mom, a local artist and the parent of an 11th-grade Yulee High School student. Public education will not please all the people all the time. Any system has its flaws. If there are those who find religious or moral objections to something within public school, they may opt to have their child not partake in a certain book discussion or class. They may also choose instead a religious education or home schooling if public schools are contradictory to their values.
“But no group — religious, political or otherwise — should have the right to say, ‘not only do I not want my child to read this book, I don’t want your child to have access to it either.’”
Noah Sapp:
“My name is Noah. I am 9 years old. I go to school here. I like to read. I’m here to ask that all kids have access to books in our school. Thank you.”
Suzanne Sapp:
“I’m a native of Fernandina, born and raised, and I have returned here to raise my 9-year-old son because this is a great place to grow up. I want my son, Noah, who attends school here, to have access to the same quality education in this county as I did so that he, too, can go out and make a positive difference in our world and right here at home. To provide that, we need to keep citizens with zero expertise from pushing their personal and political agendas onto our schools.”
Linda Hart-Green:
“I thank you, Dr. Burns and board members, for your service to our community. I support you and I support public education. I am a product of public education. In the past, you have heard from those who believe in banning books, and they think it is a community service. But tonight you are hearing a different story from those who believe it is a disservice. I have read the procedures that you have carefully outlined for reinstating banned books and I’m in favor of citizens utilizing that process.
“Why would I hold this view as a Christian pastor? My view is based on the belief that everyone is created in the image of God. That’s something most Christians agree to. But where we defer is in our understanding of diversity. I have learned over the years, as a student of the Bible, that the theme of all the scripture, overall is, God is love. Love never coerces. Coercion of belief or action is not of God.
“I trust parents, teachers, librarians and you, as my school board members, to offer age-appropriate learning materials. Responsible adults are in charge. Other gatekeepers are not necessary. Let’s ban hate, bullying and discrimination, not books.”
Sharon Roan:
“I am a writer, editor and author of four books. Last summer, the book club I participate in chose to read books from Duval County’s school district banned book list so we could better understand the objections. I read ‘The Hate You Give’ by Angie Thompson, now on the banned book list with Nassau County School District. How sad to deprive high school students of this honest look at racism and police violence. This award-winning young adult book doesn’t convey an anti-police view as some people, probably people who have never read the book, would contend.
“Parents have a right to guide their children’s choices. But when books are banned, a small group of individuals are making the decision instead of parents and their children. That’s wrong. I know you are bound by the confines of state laws, but please understand and reject banning specific books simply because they offend a small group of people. People who are not trained educators or librarians.”
Sheila Cocchi:
“Recently, the Nassau County School District, at the urging of a political group, has pulled 37 books from library shelves.
I’m not a proponent of pulling any books from the library shelves of Fernandina Beach or any of the Nassau County Schools. Not even the Bible. However, if this body is going to be held hostage by a fundamentalist Christian nationalist group that is bastardizing Christianity under the cloak of patriotism and the guise of parental rights, I ask that you be consistent in your application and assessment of all works.
“Entire works of literature should not be removed based on single excerpts and certainly not based on the limitations of what one group of people deems valuable or not.
“The group behind the removal of books in Nassau County have stood before you, telling you plainly that what they want is non-secular teachings in our schools. They celebrate a current push at the state level to have chaplains in schools. They support vouchers at the dissemination of public schools while funding private, religious and charter schools all with public money and none of the accountability you all have.
“They claim to be defending freedom, but whose? Certainly not mine and I don’t think I’m alone.”
The News-Leader reached out to the executive director of Citizens Defending Freedom for comment but did not hear back before press deadline on Tuesday.
As of Feb. 23, using the NCSD Specific Material Objections policy and a three-person district staff committee to review all books in Nassau County Schools, the following 36 books have limited access or have been removed from circulation:
- “A Court of Mist and Fury,” author Sara Mass
- “A Court of Thorns and Roses,” author Sara Mass
- “All American Boys,” author Jason Reynolds, access limited to grades 9-12
- “Almost Perfect,” author Brain Katcher
- “And Tango Makes Three,” author Justin Richardson
- “Beloved,” author Toni Morrison
- “Beyond Magenta: Transgender Teens Speak Out,” author Susan Kuklin
- “Crank,” author Ellen Hopkins
- “Deogratias: A Tale of Rwanda,” author Jean-Philippe Stassen
- “Drama,” author Raina Teigemeier, access limited to grades 6-12
- “Dreaming in Cuban,” author CrisWna Garcia
- “Eleanor & Park,” author Rainbow Rowell
- “Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close,” author Jonathan Safran Foer
- “Ghost Boys Rhodes,” author Jewell Parker
- “I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter,” author Erika L. Sanchez
- “Identical,” author Ellen Hopkins
- “If I Was Your Girl,” author Meredith Russo
- “Me and Earl and the Dying Girl,” author Jesse Andrews
- “Nineteen Minutes,” author Jodi Picoult
- “Real Live Boyfriends,” author E. Lockhart
- “The Almost Moon,” author Alice Sebold
- “The Bluest Eye,” author Toni Morrison
- “The Clan of the Cave Bear,” author Jean M. Auel
- “The Hate You Give,” author Angie Thomas
- “The Haters,” author Jesse Andrews
- “The Infinite Moment of Us,” author Lauren Myracle
- “The Kite Runner,” author Khaled Hosseini
- “The Perks of Being a Wallflower,” author Stephen Chbosky
- “The Poet X,” author Elizabeth Acevedo
- “The Truth About Alice,” author Jenifer Mathieu
- “Thirteen Reasons Why,” author Jay Asher
- “This One Summer,” author Mariko Tamaki
- “Tricks,” author Ellen Hopkins
- “Unravel Me,” author Tahereh Mafi
- “Water for Elephants,” author Sara Gruen
On Dec. 14, 2023, the NCSD began implementing new rules and guidelines under the Specific Material Objections policy, which is available to the public on the NCSD website, www.nassau.kl2.fl.us.
Any book that is challenged “must be removed within five school days of receipt of the objection and remain unavailable to students until the objection is resolved,” according to the policy.
At the March 14 meeting, the school board also:
- Approved Callahan Middle School to be annexed into the town of Callahan;
- Approved the Northgate PUD Proportionate Share Mitigation Agreement;
- Approved the Amelia Marsh Point Proportionate Share Mitigation Agreement;
- Approved KBT Contracting Corp. to install new electrical distribution panel at Callahan Middle School;
- Approved KBT Contracting Corp. to install new electrical distribution panel at Southside Elementary School;
- Approved each of four high schools will have a designated athletic trainer to provide services;
- Approved the advertisement of the public hearing to consider the adoption of Amin. Rule 2.58 “Restrooms and Changing Facilities.” The public hearing will take place during the board’s regularly scheduled meeting on April 11, 2024, at 6:30 p.m. at Hilliard Middle-Senior High School;
- Approved final hearing on revision to Safe and Secure Schools policy;
- Approved updated proposal in Administration of Medication by School policy;
- Approved Admin. Rule 5.12 revisions for Student Out of Zone Transfer-Choice.
tdishman@fbnewsleader.com