Florida Now Banning Dictionaries & Encyclopedias

[Copernicus]

Stop calling them book bans

That's exactly what they are. The author of your article attempts to obfuscate the issue and, of course, accuse Democrats as well as Republicans of being somehow equally in favor of the bans. However, the reality is that a state legislature, not a school board or group of educators have passed a law to remove books from schools and prisons that fail to meet their cultural objections to contents. As is normal in authoritarian book bans, most of the legwork is done by ordinary citizens who go to extreme lengths to expunge materials that they think might be subject to removal. This is how censorship works in places like China and Russia. The censors may go beyond what they need to do and may even be preemptive in their zeal. However, the law is intentionally written in such a way that pretty much anyone can nominate a book for renewal. So the low level book-banning activities can be expanded in the imaginations of the banners. The books may eventually be returned to the shelves, but only after delays and, possibly, court orders. The affair is a total disgrace and embarrassment for the state of Florida.

 

[Viker]

Stop calling them book bans

Just conservative erasure and excuses. Any excuse will serve tyrants.

 

[Shaul]

That's exactly what they are. The author of your article attempts to obfuscate the issue and, of course, accuse Democrats as well as Republicans of being somehow equally in favor of the bans. However, the reality is that a state legislature, not a school board or group of educators have passed a law to remove books from schools and prisons that fail to meet their cultural objections to contents. As is normal in authoritarian book bans, most of the legwork is done by ordinary citizens who go to extreme lengths to expunge materials that they think might be subject to removal. This is how censorship works in places like China and Russia. The censors may go beyond what they need to do and may even be preemptive in their zeal. However, the law is intentionally written in such a way that pretty much anyone can nominate a book for renewal. So the low level book-banning activities can be expanded in the imaginations of the banners. The books may eventually be returned to the shelves, but only after delays and, possibly, court orders. The affair is a total disgrace and embarrassment for the state of Florida.

Wrong in this case. The OP axios article references Florida's Bill 1069. Nowhere in that Bill does the State legislature remove a single book. What it does is allow parents alone to object to a book if it is pornographic, depicts sexual conduct or isn't age appropriate in the case of books used in the classroom. It also requires school districts to provide the mechanism for parents to make such an objection (via a form). If a parent files such a form the school district must remove the book and determine if the book is pornographic, etc. That's it. No censorship.
Read the Bill itself.
https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2023/1069/Amendment/867012/HTML
Furthermore the article implies that one, single district removed 1,600 books. But that is misleading too! The Escambia County School District didn't require the Library to remove a single book. It simple passed a new policy that told the Library to comply with the new 1069 Bill. As can be seen in the motion they passed here, https://go.boarddocs.com/fl/escambia/Board.nsf/files/CSQHCJ461CAE/$file/4.06_ER Adoption.pdf
The Library staff took it upon themselves to preemptively remove the 1,600 books. IOW the Library staff removed the books because they themselves thought they might be pornographic, etc. So there was never, ever anyone external to the Library that required the removal of those 1,600 books. No censorship. No "book banning". Just a bunch of lies from axios.

 

[Copernicus]

Wrong in this case. The OP axios article references Florida's Bill 1069. Nowhere in that Bill does the State legislature remove a single book. What it does is allow parents alone to object to a book if it is pornographic, depicts sexual conduct or isn't age appropriate in the case of books used in the classroom. It also requires school districts to provide the mechanism for parents to make such an objection (via a form). If a parent files such a form the school district must remove the book and determine if the book is pornographic, etc. That's it. No censorship.
Read the Bill itself.
https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2023/1069/Amendment/867012/HTML
Furthermore the article implies that one, single district removed 1,600 books. But that is misleading too! The Escambia County School District didn't require the Library to remove a single book. It simple passed a new policy that told the Library to comply with the new 1069 Bill. As can be seen in the motion they passed here, https://go.boarddocs.com/fl/escambia/Board.nsf/files/CSQHCJ461CAE/$file/4.06_ER Adoption.pdf
The Library staff took it upon themselves to preemptively remove the 1,600 books. IOW the Library staff removed the books because they themselves thought they might be pornographic, etc. So there was never, ever anyone external to the Library that required the removal of those 1,600 books. No censorship. No "book banning". Just a bunch of lies from axios.

It's as if you didn't even bother reading my post, which took into account the Florida law that you referenced. The bill was written so broadly as to empower citizens to initiate actions that would lead to a ban. Self-appointed groups of wannabe censors have stepped forward to clog up the system, and overzealous book-banner officials are even pulling books off of shelves for preemptive reviews. This is exactly the way censorship works in authoritarian regimes around the world. Welcome to Trumpistan!

 

[Shaul]

It's as if you didn't even bother reading my post, which took into account the Florida law that you referenced. The bill was written so broadly as to empower citizens to initiate actions that would lead to a ban. Self-appointed groups of wannabe censors have stepped forward to clog up the system, and overzealous book-banner officials are even pulling books off of shelves for preemptive reviews. This is exactly the way censorship works in authoritarian regimes around the world. Welcome to Trumpistan!

Nope. The Law specifies PARENTS can object. Not "citizens". IOW outsiders can go willy-nilly around the state objecting to books. Also the parents can't censor. They can only object. They would have to be able to prove the material in question was pornographic or depicts sexual conduct. If the material isn't those things, any parent objection would be quickly ruled against. If the material IS those things, then such material should never have been in the school because that already violates state law. And you never address the point I made. All of the books removed from the Escambia school libraries were done by the Library staff. This law has produced zero censorship. Nor will it.

 

[Copernicus]

Nope. The Law specifies PARENTS can object. Not "citizens". IOW outsiders can go willy-nilly around the state objecting to books. Also the parents can't censor. They can only object. They would have to be able to prove the material in question was pornographic or depicts sexual conduct. If the material isn't those things, any parent objection would be quickly ruled against. If the material IS those things, then such material should never have been in the school because that already violates state law. And you never address the point I made. All of the books removed from the Escambia school libraries were done by the Library staff. This law has produced zero censorship. Nor will it.

Even for prisoners? As I understand it, the law also affects prisons. In any case, it appears that librarians and other school officials are taking preemptive action to screen for content that conservative parents might object to--which you seem to think somehow isn't really censorship. That is exactly how censorship works. As you yourself point out, the materials have to be banned from schools, if they violate state law. Russia and China have similar laws. So I very much did address the Escambia situation--library staff acting preemptively to examine books for content that the state (and conservative parents) might want removed. You seem to approve censorship in principle, but you disapprove of calling it censorship, maybe because the same materials aren't yet being yanked off the shelves in public libraries that serve the general public. Apparently, if they do it Russia and China in schools, it's censorship. If they do it in Florida, it's not censorship. The press has this right--these are laws that get books banned, including history books that are too honest about America's sordid past with slavery and racial oppression.

 

[Shaul]

Even for prisoners? As I understand it, the law also affects prisons.

Here's a link to the text of the Law, https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2023/1069/BillText/er/PDF
It makes no mention of prisons.

In any case, it appears that librarians and other school officials are taking preemptive action to screen for content that conservative parents might object to--which you seem to think somehow isn't really censorship.

Since the only objection a parent might make would be on the basis of the material being pornographic, as I wrote before, there shouldn't be any materials a library needs to be "preemptive" about.

That is exactly how censorship works. As you yourself point out, the materials have to be banned from schools, if they violate state law.

No. The materials have to be removed until a verification is made that the material doesn't violate state law prohibiting pornography or materials with sexual conduct in them. Nothing is "banned". You insist on using a term that is erroneous and contrary to the facts.

Russia and China have similar laws.

I dispute that and reject the assertion.

So I very much did address the Escambia situation--library staff acting preemptively to examine books for content that the state (and conservative parents) might want removed.

No, you reverted to blaming others instead of the library staff for the book removals.

You seem to approve censorship in principle, but you disapprove of calling it censorship, maybe because the same materials aren't yet being yanked off the shelves in public libraries that serve the general public.

I don't seem to do any such thing. But you appear to want every manner of materials in the schools including pornography.

Apparently, if they do it Russia and China in schools, it's censorship. If they do it in Florida, it's not censorship.

Since there is no equivalency between what happens there and in Florida, this is a false charge and frankly a pretty desperate tact for you to take. Really. If you mus stoop to ridiculousness like this, you're done.

The press has this right--these are laws that get books banned, including history books that are too honest about America's sordid past with slavery and racial oppression.

And then to finish you drop in a totally new, totally unfounded and baseless wild, broad false accusation. Attempting to change the goalpost really demonstrates that you know you can't defend you position on the axios article baloney.

 

[Estro Felino]

Yes instead of filth such as the Guinness Book of World Records and Agatha Christie's Death on the Nile.

The Thorn Birds is not a book I would recommend to middle schoolers.
But it's always better than the books the lounge-loving Left wants to impose on children.
Titles like "Mr. Glass takes it right where it rhymes" or stuff like that (in the video):

 

[Heyo]

Since the only objection a parent might make would be on the basis of the material being pornographic, as I wrote before, there shouldn't be any materials a library needs to be "preemptive" about.

No. The materials have to be removed until a verification is made that the material doesn't violate state law prohibiting pornography or materials with sexual conduct in them.

So, if pornography is already banned from school libraries and it is only pornography that parents can object to,
then why was this law necessary? Did it change anything?

 

[Secret Chief]

Nope. The Law specifies PARENTS can object. Not "citizens". IOW outsiders can go willy-nilly around the state objecting to books. Also the parents can't censor. They can only object. They would have to be able to prove the material in question was pornographic or depicts sexual conduct. If the material isn't those things, any parent objection would be quickly ruled against. If the material IS those things, then such material should never have been in the school because that already violates state law. And you never address the point I made. All of the books removed from the Escambia school libraries were done by the Library staff. This law has produced zero censorship. Nor will it.

Would you personally see it as reasonable to check if the Guinness Book of World Records and Agatha Christie's Death on the Nile contained inappropriate material for a high school library?

 

[Samael_Khan]

https://www.axios.com/2024/01/11/florida-book-ban-schools-lawsuit

Excerpted...
A Florida school district is pulling nearly 2,000 books from its shelves — including some dictionaries and encyclopedias — to make sure they abide by a new state law.

Why it matters: The state law, which prohibits schools from carrying books that describe sexual content, comes as Florida continues to get pushback over its titles banned in prisons and classrooms.

Are they gonna take books out of the bible as well because of their sexual content?

Ezekiel 23:20

 

[Samael_Khan]

I'm surprised The Handmaid's Tale isn't considered required reading. I suppose that it's portrayal of a totalitarian theocracy in a negative light is what irks some.

Atleast 1984 isn't banned.

We shouldn't be surprised at this banning because conservatives invented cancel culture. The institutions they support have been doing it for centuries.

That is why it is obvious that this whole cancel culture and culture war nonsense is a manufactured farce by the right.

 

[Colt]

Enlighten me, then.
What is the Democratic Party's agenda? Besides LGBT and abortion (which are sex-related topics)?
Merci beaucoup pour votre réponse.

The Lefts agenda is to impose the religion of the secular totalitarian state! Normalize abnormality! So, descent citizens and leaders are put in a position to have to screen the doctrines of sexual deviancy from indoctrinating young people. Any way they can rebel against the influence of morality on society they will!

 

[Samael_Khan]

The Lefts agenda is to impose the religion of the secular totalitarian state! Normalize abnormality! So, descent citizens and leaders are put in a position to have to screen the doctrines of sexual deviancy from indoctrinating young people. Any way they can rebel against the influence of morality on society they will!

From what you say, the left wants to outwardly show what the right does behind closed doors hey.

 

[Viker]

The Lefts agenda is to impose the religion of the secular totalitarian state! Normalize abnormality! So, descent citizens and leaders are put in a position to have to screen the doctrines of sexual deviancy from indoctrinating young people. Any way they can rebel against the influence of morality on society they will!

What does the Diary of Anne Frank have to do with whatever imaginary propagandist sounding rhetoric you've fabricated? You missed my posting of titles. Almost none have anything to do with what you pretend. Stephen King, all of his works? James Patterson? You need to learn to read.... between lines. The biography of Thurgood Marshall (civil rights attorney, Supreme Court Justice)?

As I also have stated. Any excuse will serve tyrants.

 

[Altfish]

https://www.axios.com/2024/01/11/florida-book-ban-schools-lawsuit

Excerpted...
A Florida school district is pulling nearly 2,000 books from its shelves — including some dictionaries and encyclopedias — to make sure they abide by a new state law.

Why it matters: The state law, which prohibits schools from carrying books that describe sexual content, comes as Florida continues to get pushback over its titles banned in prisons and classrooms.

When I was a kid there were odd books that our UK government tried to ban, e.g. Fanny Hill. All that happened was that all the 12 year old boys rushed out and obtained a copy.
If I was 12 and lived in Florida, I'd be searching out these books to try and find the 'dirty bits'.

 

[Viker]

Atleast 1984 isn't banned.

We shouldn't be surprised at this banning because conservatives invented cancel culture. The institutions they support have been doing it for centuries.

That is why it is obvious that this whole cancel culture and culture war nonsense is a manufactured farce by the right.

It will be. It's most certainly in violation of Florida law.

Sex, violence (lots), an exposure of authoritarianism, it references slavery even.

 

[Samael_Khan]

It will be. It's most certainly in violation of Florida law.

Sex, violence (lots), an exposure of authoritarianism, it references slavery even.

So basically they are banning books discussing indoctrination.... probably because they want to indoctrinate people.

And they probably wont ban the bible even though it talks about having sex with donkeys - Ezekiel 23.20

Heck one could make a porno based on that scripture.

The hypocricy of these people is insane.

 

[Kenny]

Religion and conservatism are both terrified by knowledge amongst those who ought to be led and governed by their betters. This is no longer even moderately surprising.

WOW! What a inflammatory and utterly false statement! It almost sounds like you want us to throw reason out of our brains. Is this Canadian liberalism at its core? Is it fear of faith?

 

[Twilight Hue]

This is progress.
You actually admit that your
vaunted Magas are like Democrats.

Well yea, if they are banning things.