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Graduate Assistant: Rachel Fleming

email: rachel.fleming@sjsu.edu (please put INFO 266 in subject line)

Florida statment on book selection for K

House Bill 7: Individual Freedom (dubbed “don’t say woke”) goes into effect July 1 and "defines individual freedoms based on the fundamental truth that all individuals are equal before the law and have inalienable rights. Accordingly, required instruction, instructional materials, and professional development in public schools must be consistent with the following principles of individual freedom:

• No person is inherently racist, sexist, or oppressive, whether consciously or unconsciously, solely by virtue of his or her race or sex.

• No race is inherently superior to another race.

• No person should be discriminated against or receive adverse treatment solely or partly on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, disability, or sex.

• Meritocracy or traits such as a hard work ethic are not racist but fundamental to the right to pursue happiness and be rewarded for industry.

• A person, by virtue of his or her race or sex, does not bear responsibility for actions committed in the past by other members of the same race or sex.

• A person should not be instructed that he or she must feel guilt, anguish, or other forms of psychological distress for actions, in which he or she played no part, committed in the past by other members of the same race or sex.

The bill authorizes discussion and curricula, in an age-appropriate manner, regarding topics such as sexism, slavery, racial oppression, racial segregation, and racial discrimination. However, the bill specifies that instruction and curricula may not be used to indoctrinate or persuade students to a particular point of view inconsistent with the principles of individual freedom or state academic standards."

House Bill 1467: K-12 Education requires “each book made available to students through a school district library media center or included in a recommended or assigned school or grade-level reading list must be selected by a school district employee who holds a valid educational media specialist certificate. The bill requires the DOE to develop an online training program for librarians and media specialists, which includes training on materials in school library media centers and reading lists, to be made available no later than January 1, 2023. After that date, personnel involved in the selection of school district library materials and reading lists must complete the training program developed by the DOE. Additionally, the bill requires each superintendent, beginning July 1, 2023, to annually certify to the commissioner that all school librarians and media center specialists have completed the online training program.

"Each public elementary school is required by the bill to publish on its website a list of all materials maintained in the school library or required as part of a booklist used in a classroom. In addition, each district school board is required to adopt and post on the website procedures for developing library media center collections. At a minimum, the procedures must:

• Require book selections to be free of pornography and prohibited materials harmful to minors, suited to student needs, and appropriate for the grade level and age group;

• Require consultation of reputable, professionally recognized sources and school community stakeholders for each selection;

• Provide for library media center collections based on reader interest, support of state academic standards and aligned curriculum, and the academic needs of students and faculty; and

• Provide for the regular removal or discontinuance of books based on factors specified in the bill, including those removed because of an objection by a parent or resident of the county.

The bill provides that school principals are responsible for overseeing compliance with school library media center materials selection procedures at the school in which they are assigned."

House Bill 1557: Parental Rights in Education (dubbed “don’t say gay”), among other things, prohibits “classroom instruction on sexual orientation or gender identity in kindergarten through grade 3 or in a manner that is not age-appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students.” Depending on the interpretation that could include books that discuss gender identity or sexual orientation. And it could mean that in a school that has K-5 students, books would not be on shelves if K-3 students could access them.