Florida Freedom to Read Project Book Recommendations & Book Mentions

Florida Freedom to Read Project

Today’s “Is it instruction on sexual orientation or not?” ELEPHANT & PIGGIE: THERE IS A BIRD ON YOUR HEAD! by Mo Willems Not to challenge, but to prove a point. We accept stories of sexual orientation all the time in kidlit - as long as it’s heterosexual love. https://t.co/ae78SW71MC

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Florida Freedom to Read Project

"NO PERSON IS YOUR FRIEND WHO DEMANDS YOUR SILENCE OR DENIES YOUR RIGHT TO GROW." - ALICE WALKER Alice Walker became the first African American woman to win the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, which she was awarded for her novel The Color Purple. https://t.co/XsEAjkmnop

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Florida Freedom to Read Project

A Volusia Review Committee read, discussed, & decided that the book Flamer by Mike Curato should be retained for 8th grade + at schools where it was in circulation. After DeSantis’ March press conference, District leaders decided to remove it because it “lacked literary value”. https://t.co/joifDu8zLh

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Florida Freedom to Read Project

We highlighted meetings around FL last night, but there were two in Flagler that had highs & lows to share. Let’s start with the highs: SOLD by Patricia McCormick was voted by the Board to remain in HS in the district. You MUST hear these Board Members (yes, a student board)! https://t.co/YLX8OWjC3I

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Florida Freedom to Read Project

Yesterday a committee met in Flagler to review CRANK by Ellen Hopkins. We are still waiting on an article to officially announce the decision by the committee, but this article outlines what a committee considers when reviewing the book in its entirety. https://t.co/5fJvq8Zrq0

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Florida Freedom to Read Project

“The school board voted unanimously Thursday night to remove “Push” by Sapphire and “Lucky” by Alice Sebold. Both books address sexual assault and how it shapes the victims’ lives.” These authors were telling their stories of abuse & survival as teens. https://t.co/bW1O1mM1Fk

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Florida Freedom to Read Project

I asked Farrant if she had read the entire book. She didn’t answer that question directly but cited several passages and said she objects to the term book-banning, saying: “We are simply curating content and complying with the law.” ⁦@Scott_Maxwell⁩ https://t.co/fWYjactP3z

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Florida Freedom to Read Project

Nossel said she anticipates a new federal law being passed in the coming years to address these books being challenged, as challenges to book bans bring up processes that were not followed. https://thenationaldesk.com/news/americas-news-now/book-bans-books-are-innocent-until-proven-guilty-too-gender-queer-a-memoir-by-maia-kobabe-all-boys-arent-blue-by-george-m-johnson-the-girls-who-code-beyond-magenta-transgender-teens-speak-out-by-susan-kuklin-schools-lgbtq-race

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Florida Freedom to Read Project

Last night we went before @OCPSnews & called them out for AGAIN removing books w/o following policy. This time it was TRICKS & IDENTICAL by @EllenHopkinsLit & Sara Gruen’s WATER FOR ELEPHANTS. We found out about the forced removals prompted by M4L SBM via weeding reports. https://t.co/Wsp4HBy69B

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Florida Freedom to Read Project

“…students in MS hear & learn about the concepts addressed in the material (online, media, classmates)…materials like “This Book Is Gay” don’t introduce students to the concept, but serve as a non-fiction alternative to classmates and the internet…” https://t.co/FQc9iJLwhz

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