Victorious fightback: Florida parents and children rally against oppressive book bans

Students and parents in Florida are rallying against the banning and removal of books from school libraries. Despite their efforts, a new state law has made it easier for opponents to successfully remove these books. At school board meetings, conservative group Moms for Liberty, together with allied organizations, have transformed the atmosphere by dramatically reading explicit passages from these books out of context. Their argument is that these books should not be accessible to minors. This summer, a Florida law was enacted, allowing immediate removal of a book if a board member finds it offensive during a reading.

Performance was transformed into policy, leaving school board lawyers bewildered by the rules and limiting the avenues for those advocating for access.

Trixie Meckley, a senior at DeLand High School in central Florida, expressed her thoughts on the matter. According to her, adults who engage in this behavior clearly lack an understanding of teenagers. After learning about the frequent banning of "Gender Queer: A Memoir," one of the books, Trixie decided to search for the graphic novel on Google to grasp the reason behind the controversy. She remarked, "Honestly, it seems quite intriguing."

Meckley's friend, junior Riley Kellogg, has been an avid reader since middle school. "I currently have a sticker on my phone that says, 'If a book is banned, it automatically goes on my summer reading list'," Kellogg shared.

Books have played a significant role in broadening my understanding of the world, surpassing what I have witnessed with my own eyes.

Riley Kellogg, high school junior

Children and their parents with means can certainly still access the works in bookstores or other libraries if they know about them.

Florida's school districts accounted for over 40% of book bans across the country during the previous academic year, as revealed by a study conducted by PEN America.

Supporters of Moms for Liberty chapters can expect a well-structured plan of action to be presented.

You want to get shut down. Only read the dirtiest bits that we give to you

Moms for Liberty video

A Moms for Liberty member north of Orlando in Seminole County urged viewers in a Facebook video to only read the filthiest sections that we provide if they want to be shut down. However, in Seminole County, the school board allowed them to read the explicit sections without intervening, which could have potentially led to a ban.

They achieved greater success in Indian River County, south of Orlando, where Moms for Liberty and their like-minded allies successfully campaigned for the removal of numerous books.

Meanwhile, in Volusia County, which is neighboring Seminole, a school board meeting became akin to a professional wrestling match. Everyone was aware of what was going to happen, yet they all wanted to witness it unfold. The Moms for Liberty were well aware that they would be reading sex scenes, as were the individuals who attended to oppose them, and even the school board knew that sex scenes would be read aloud. However, for the spectacle to hold any significance, a school board member needed to officially declare that the explicit content was unsuitable for the audience present.

Merrick Brunker, a candidate running for a position on the school board, addressed the board from the podium. He read aloud a passage from the popular 2007 novel "Nineteen Minutes" by Jodi Picoult, which explores the aftermath of a school shooting. The passage depicted a distressing scene involving the characters Matt and Josie.

Additionally, the decision was made to host the theater and circus events in this location.

Michael Marsh, parent, referring to Moms for Liberty

"Point of order," a school board member said.

"Semen, stick-" Brunker continued.

"Please stop," the member said.

Brunker raised his hands in frustration.

Speaking at the same meeting, Kellogg, a junior in high school, shared her perspective. "Books have taught me so much about the world that I couldn't have learned just by observing," she expressed. "Even if there are certain aspects that some individuals might disagree with, books always convey a message... and that's why they should always remain in libraries."

Jacob Smith, who said he graduated from a county school in 2017, also addressed the board.

"Im actually Gen Z … and we have certain feelings about how we want to be educated," Smith said.

According to him, his father had read prohibited literature many years ago. "I don't want us to keep struggling against the same issues as previous generations... I want Generation Z to stand for a new era of discovering peace and achieving justice that America has never experienced before."

"I find it absurd that we are regressing," expressed Smith.

Florida's newly implemented state law, HB 1069, took effect in July as a response to lobbying efforts by certain groups. These groups expressed dissatisfaction with the fact that books they had raised concerns about, such as renowned classics like "Slaughterhouse-Five" and "The Bluest Eye," were often allowed to remain on shelves even after undergoing thorough review by a committee of parents, school officials, and a librarian, who determined their appropriateness.

Previously, there existed what I refer to as a loophole in the statute, which stated that the material in question must be considered as a whole. Consequently, if it possessed any literary merit, it could remain available for readers.

Jenifer Kelly, the chairperson of Moms for Liberty in Volusia County, expressed her concerns regarding a loophole in the statute that allowed materials with literary value to remain despite their potentially harmful content. Using an analogy, she highlighted the unwise decision of consuming a brownie containing poison, regardless of its outward appeal.

She expressed her disinterest in the opinions of students, stating, "If they are 17 or below, it is up to their parents to decide."

Following numerous readings of explicit scenes, Michael Marsh expressed his anger during the first school board meeting in Indian River County. He suggested that parents with concerns about books should have approached the school principal instead, rather than bringing the issue to a public forum and causing chaos.

He expressed that while he didn't necessarily agree with every book that Moms for Liberty had targeted, he found their tactics unacceptable. Wearing a T-shirt styled after Moms for Liberty, with the words "Mike for Liberty" and the tagline, "Your parental rights do not override mine," he voiced his opinion. The back of his shirt featured a photo of his daughters, and he proudly stated, "I am the proud parent of two beautiful interracial queens." Describing Moms for Liberty as bullies and in the minority, he added, "This is the consequence of apathy and inaction. However, I am fully aware and conscious, or 'woke,' which is the controversial term of the day."

Regarding school board members affiliated with Moms for Liberty, he emphasized the need to remove them through voting and emphasized the importance of educating both parents and staff. Furthermore, he stressed the urgency of eliminating fear.

Julie Miller, a former Clay County media specialist (a modern term for a librarian), explained that effecting change through the polls will require time. She noted that those who have been opposing book removals are already exhausted. Julie Miller, who has been openly critical of book bans, has observed the rise of this issue since November 2021 when she first received a complaint against the book "All Boys Arent Blue."

There is no fight that we can win

Julie Miller, former school media specialist

Initially, she believed that compromise and understanding were possible. Some books were being marketed as young adult novels but were actually intended for readers in their early 20s and contained explicit sexual content. She believed that those types of books should not be offered in the school. However, as time went on, even acclaimed classics like "Slaughterhouse-Five," "The Bluest Eye," and "To Kill a Mockingbird" were included in the targeted books. In June, she was transferred to a different position within the school and made the decision to leave Clay County Schools.

"There is currently no fight that we can win in this state. It's not just Moms for Liberty and their allied groups against us. It's us against them, including the school board members they have successfully elected and the legislators who have written these draconian and ambiguous laws that strongly favor one side and are unbeatable."

"Theres a lot of hopelessness," Miller said.