In Florida, they're getting rid of lots of books. Marsha Lederman writes:
Just when you thought things couldn’t get any weirder or more depressing on the U.S. book-ban front comes this plot twist from Manatee County, Fla. The school board near Sarasota recently issued an edict that prompted teachers to remove all books from classrooms in response to new rules from the Florida Department of Education.
That policy states that all books in schools must be approved by a librarian (called a “certified media specialist”), or staff risk third-degree felony charges. With some classroom libraries too large to dispose of quickly, teachers have had to physically cover them up, with construction paper in some cases – or risk possible jail time. Teachers are not allowed to choose books for their classrooms. And only vetted books are allowed, to ensure they are free of pornographic material, age-appropriate, and don’t contain “unsolicited theories that may lead to student indoctrination.” It’s effectively leading to negative-option reading, and that’s led to the removal of such dangerous books as Sneezy the Snowman and Dragons Love Tacos.
What is happening in Florida is happening throughout the United States:
Book bans in the United States are becoming so rampant that they are now likelier to elicit heavy sighs rather than shock. Still, seeing the statistics in black and white is alarming. According to that PEN report, from July, 2021, to June, 2022, there were 2,532 instances of individual books being banned, affecting 1,648 individual titles. The two categories most frequently banned in schools were books with LGBTQ themes or prominent LGBTQ characters, and books with protagonists or prominent secondary characters of colour.
This is a scene cooked up by fools – who are somehow in charge of education – trying to create a nation of more fools. And Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who signed the bill into law, has presidential aspirations. Imagine edicts like this being issued nationally.
They're proudly marching backward -- to the Dark Ages, where Ignorance and Superstition ruled the roost.
Image: The Logical Place
14 comments:
It's called American exceptionalism. Check outDonald's new proposed plan on reform of the education system. It is very cringeworthy.
https://www.nbcnews.com/meet-the-press/meetthepressblog/trump-calls-certifying-patriotic-teachers-cutting-funds-schools-teachi-rcna67836
Book burning is only the first scratch on the surface.
Education for morons, zoombats -- from the Moron-in-Chief.
I don't think you have to go back as far as the Dark Ages; twentieth century totalitarian regimes will do. From Hitler's book burnings to Mao's Cultural Revolution, authoritarians have always attacked intellectuals, literature, and learning in general.
As Mussolini said almost a century ago, "Democracy is talking itself to death. The people do not know what they want; they do not know what is the best for them. There is too much foolishness, too much lost motion. I have stopped the talk and the nonsense. I am a man of action. Democracy is beautiful in theory; in practice it is a fallacy. You in America will see that some day."
Apparently, Cap, the Americans have decided that Mussolini got it right. God help them.
Banning doesn't always work the way it is intended. As a teen I learned that the best books were "Banned in Boston."
As one wag once said, Toby, "That's where all the good stuff is."
I am not a particularly well read old fart Owen, so not sure if this is a bit of Animal Farm or Nineteen Eighty-Four or something new but I am starting to wonder if the Word Gods will get us before the Pollution, War, Over Population, Dictators, or Idiot Politicians. It easy to point finger south of the border but we here are far from immune and I for one fear for my adult kids future. Keep on rattling our cage Owen......
Orwell and Twain and others knew how easily language can be corrupted and used to con human beings, Rural. It's always gone on. But, these days, it's everywhere.
Stephen King's advice to young folks is to take note of which books were banned and find their own copies, cause those who ban books always ban the best ones. Canada has a history of smuggling booze during prohibition. Perhaps our calling is to buck the new prohibition by smuggling books?
Ashamed of your own history? Simply rewrite it:
The new curriculum (replacing the evil banned books) refers to 'slaves' as 'involuntary migrants' and the beat goes on.
They're called euphemisms, PoV. They are a time-honoured way to avoid the truth.
I have to wonder that in taking this legislation literally if the educators should wrap up their Bibles and put them in storage??
TB
There was an article I read recently and it advised k300,000 American teachers had quit their jobs last year. There was an up tick in teachers quitting in Florida because of the book ban. They didn't want to risk being convicted of a felony. At this rate some states may not have to worry about what kids are taught in schook, there won't be any schools are open, no teachers.
The best way to get kids to read books is to tell them the book is banned.
Perhaps Trump and DeSantos will spend so much time and effort fighting each other no one will vote for them, well you can dream. \
The banning of books always reminds me of the book burning by the Nazis.
I suspect that the people who support this legislation don't read, TB -- and that includes the Bible.
There is lots of political hay to be made from ignorance, e.a.f. There always has been.
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