Just imagine the news coverage in the west if this was happening I’m China
How democratic, much liberty.
I didn’t know Floridaman could write laws!
There appear to be lot of news for Florida’s education system:
‘Hostile takeover’: the tiny Florida university targeted by Ron DeSantis
Edit for new article on the topic: DeSantis Targets Diversity Programs, Tenured Professors in 'Unhinged’ Attack on Higher Ed
That’s really devastating. Things like that make me increasingly feel that there’s no difference between political administrations in so-called “western” countries like the US and those in China or Iran. Sometimes we all appear to be on the road to autocracy.
Americans do something American Americanly.
“What are we, a bunch of Asians?”
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Things like that make me increasingly feel that there’s no difference between political administrations in so-called “western” countries like the US and those in China or Iran
That’s really not fair, there are lots of differences… and this is just one of them. (I’m not an expert on the subject but I’d be surprised if their school book censorship regimes are also based on an allow-list.)
There are plenty of other differences too, like the amount of military spending, or the number of people in prison. Don’t worry, USA is still #1 in these categories. It also remains one of the last places in the world where many freedoms from government interference are still cherished.
Yes, I should have been more careful in formulating my post. What I meant is that I feel there is a tendency to centrally control the societies across the world and limit individual freedom (e.g., the chat control they currently discuss in the EU, abortion ban in the US, and a lot more developments).
But there’s clearly much difference in the “western” lifestyle compared to other regions whose peoples live under extremely oppressive regimes. So I agree, my statement was not fair. I stand corrected.
In a message sent from the Manatee district to principals, the material must be “free of pornography” and “appropriate for the age level and group.”
That sounds quite reasonable.
There is no deadline or timeline as to when classroom books would need to be vetted by, he said.
So basically these teachers are making a big drama out of nothing.
That sounds quite reasonable.
So basically these teachers are making a big drama out of nothing.
I believe my summary in the title of this post is completely accurate, even if the manatee school district is not taking the law as seriously as their teachers are.
Florida has literally moved their schools from a system which banned some books to one which bans all books by default until each book is individually approved.
Here is another story about it.
Here are some excerpts of the law:
148 1. Each book made available to students through a school 149 district library media center or included in a recommended or 150 assigned school or grade-level reading list must be selected by 151 a school district employee who holds a valid educational media 152 specialist certificate, regardless of whether the book is 153 purchased, donated, or otherwise made available to students.…
171 3. Each elementary school must publish on its website, in 172 a searchable format prescribed by the department, a list of all 173 materials maintained in the school library media center or 174 required as part of a school or grade-level reading list. 175 (e) Public participation.—Publish on its website, in a 176 searchable format prescribed by the department, a list of all 177 instructional materials, including those used to provide 178 instruction required by s. 1003.42. Each district school board 179 must: 180 1. Provide access to all materials, excluding teacher 181 editions, in accordance with s. 1006.283(2)(b)8.a. before the 182 district school board takes any official action on such 183 materials. This process must include reasonable safeguards 184 against the unauthorized use, reproduction, and distribution of 185 instructional materials considered for adoption. 186 2. Select, approve, adopt, or purchase all materials as a 187 separate line item on the agenda and must provide a reasonable 188 opportunity for public comment. The use of materials described 189 in this paragraph may not be selected, approved, or adopted as 190 part of a consent agenda.So basically these teachers are making a big drama out of nothing.
Reading the actual law, do you still think so?
Yes, of course there need to be some restrictions for the books which are made available in schools. Or would you find it okay if a teacher added cryptofascist books to the school library? That might be hard to notice for people who are not familiar with the topic, so it makes sense to have an approval process.
There have been no problems so far with books available in schools. And even if there were such problems, the solution can’t be to ban all books by default, at least not in a free society. What comes next? Do parents have to ask the government what they are allowed to teach their children?
Something like that opens the door to a paternalistic state where those in power decide what should be read and what is considered “wrong”.
