A crowd of about 100 people gathered Sunday afternoon in the square in front of Gainesville City Hall to hear stories that their children and grandchildren may not be allowed to hear at school.
The Banned Book Readings, sponsored by the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Social Justice Council, will feature 10 selected people reading excerpts from books that have been banned or challenged by the Florida government, or works that have been challenged in the past. and poems were read aloud. Topics included literature that explores African Americans, anti-war themes, the Holocaust, and more. Participants were also given the opportunity to take home banned books.
“I thought there would be like-minded people here. I'd better get over here quick to see what they're reading,” said event attendee Jim Porter. I guess so.'' “I didn't expect it to be this good.”
Zohara Simmons, a civil rights activist and former university professor, moderated the event. The speakers at this event were primarily prominent figures in Gainesville's education or social justice circles.
“We are here today to oppose the banning of books that tell the true history of our country and document the experiences of all those who have suffered from these oppressions, past and present,” Simmons said during the event. stated.
Ron DeSantis' controversial signing of HB 1069 on May 17, 2023, sparked a wave of challenges to literary works. The bill restricted instruction on reproductive health and human sexuality in public schools. For violations, teachers could face penalties ranging from fines to loss of teaching qualifications and even criminal charges.
According to a March report from the American Library Association, Florida leads the nation in the number of book titles requested to be restricted or removed, with approximately 2,700 appeals in 2023. Texas ranks second in the nation with nearly 1,500 challenges. Alachua County has a spreadsheet created by District Media Specialist Patti Duvall that lists the county's assigned books.
The process of reviewing a book is often extensive. When a book is challenged by an individual, the district reviews the content and decides whether to remove the book from the shelves. If the challenge is not successful at the district level, the challenger may elect to be reviewed by a hearing officer.
HB 1069 received pushback from many Floridians who argued that title restrictions were a social regression. Participants in this event came together to express support for literary freedom and progress.
“I never thought something as regressive as a return to book bans would be something we would experience here, especially in Gainesville. We are resisting it as much as we can,” event attendees said. Eric Admanson said. ,He said. “And it should be resisted because it is a form of oppression that is unacceptable.”
Byron Prugh is a former teacher at Hidden Oak Elementary School, located at 2100 Fort Clarke Blvd. In 2011, more than a decade before the book ban, Proulx left Florida after facing backlash from his parents when she taught him certain books, and later settled in Portland, Oregon. One such book is a fictional novel set in World War II, a novel about a family who risked their lives to save Jews from the Nazis, and a novel about racism and humanity. There was also a novel, “Thunder, Hear My Cry,'' which explored the question of seeds. the economic inequalities that African Americans may face;
“I feel much more at ease as an educator in Oregon,” said Proulx, who attended the event. “I have colleagues who are former and current teachers here in the Florida school system, and they are definitely concerned about the contents of their classroom libraries.”
Sherry Admanson is a retired librarian who has lived in Gainesville since 1974. She, like many others, sees the diversity of her literary themes as something to be welcomed, not objected to.
“It's important for children to hear about the different lives people lead and how that can change our world,” Admanson said.
In response to numerous such challenges in Florida, DeSantis signed HB 1285 on Tuesday. The bill would limit the number of times an individual who is not enrolled in a school district can attempt school material in a year. Still, literary censorship continues to be debated in Florida and across the country.
“When we take books away from children, we rob people of their experiences, their potential wisdom, their strength, and their ability not to be shocked and surprised by everything they see as adults.” “There are,” Porter said.
