D.J. Wright, a retired principal and Leon County Schools hearing officer, has recommended that the book “I Am Billie Jean King” remain in the Hawks Rise elementary school library.
Wright made the decision after hearing arguments from a parent who wanted the book removed and from a Leon County School (LCS) official who supported retaining the book.
In the complaint, the parent stated that “I object to the material that discusses being gay and what it means to be gay.”
The parent added in the complaint that “the material was at the library and classified as a book that is in my daughter’s reading level. She picks books that are her designated color to read and then take[s} a test on.”
The one page in the beginning of the 40 page book that raised concern, references Billie Jan Kings gay life style, explains what it means to be gay, and notes her transition from being in love with a man to falling in love with a woman. The page is shown below.
An LCS official defended retaining the book by arguing that removal would impact those parents and students who had no issue with the content.
Wright sided with the LCS argument.
The next step in the process will take place during the next regularly scheduled school board meeting on Tuesday, July 25th.
Note: D.J. Wright is female.
@Dee - The detransitioners are more than enough proof for me that messing with these children's minds and emotions is wrong.
You're right banning inappropriate books from elementary school libraries is not new. What is new, is not protecting the innocence of children and not letting kids just be kids.
@ Nicholas Weed = Florida, YES. Leon Co., Not so much....... Dems = 100,971 ...... Rep = 54,033 ...... Ind = 43,611.
If you have an 8-10 year old who reads three pages of any book, then declares themselves to be gay? I wonder how successful your parenting skills are?
Banning books is nothing new. And throughout history one thing has been proven over and over again.
Ideas can't be banned. They have to be proven wrong.
@Weed, you make a good point. It's not just Republicans who don't want their children to be sexually confused and screwed-up. People from every group in this country are screaming "Leave the children alone!"
What part of "Leave the children alone" do they not get?
Mr David
The voters in Florida are leaving the Democratic Party in droves and registering as Republican. The Mom's for Liberty have made inroads. Voters want to do the right thing for their children and not the Democratic Party ideology.
Things are changing albeit in Leon County slowly, but if the Leon County status quo goes along with this they are signing their own political death warrants.
"An LCS official defended retaining the book by arguing that removal would impact those parents and students who had no issue with the content."
These are the same people whose version of "sensible gun control" would negatively impact the 100,000,000 gun owners that shot no one.
It's not about right or wrong with them, it's about the agenda....
@Bigwheel, "neo-nazi", "censorchip", "hate", all buzzwords out of the Leftist control agenda. Sorry the Democrat doesn't have comments any more for you to spout your gibberish among those who you actually agree with you. What's actually happened is Leon County groomers have won. Again.
Glad to know where you stand in the education of elementary school age minors.
@ Nicholas Weed = The problem with what you posted is, Leon County is too BLUE to make those changes.
Oh no you guys. I read that passage and now I think I am gay!
Bye Done, Bye Bye Curtis, DAILEY is done with any future political ascension, and Rocky has lost all hope for any future political career. They did it to themselves. At least July 25th will have some positive significance when the above political characters seal their fate of having no future political futures. Parents and voters have had enough.
It’s “principal,” not “principle.”
Geez.
If you’re gonna complain about education, at least take Grammar 101 first!
A sane man in an insane world must appear insane... 51% of Leon county school students can't read at their grade level. That means over half the second graders can't even read the book if they were so inclined to do so. No one cares about that.
I wouldn't send my child to a Leon County public school unless I wanted them to be an illiterate, ignorant, fool. And gay too!
Good. The neo-nazi "mom's for censorship" karens don't deserve any influence over education. They don't care about kids. They routinely place their hate and false traditionalism above the wellbeing of our children.
Surprise, surprise, a retired school principle saying the book is ok/ just shows how long we parents have not been told how long this crap has been going on.
Remove the first page and it's probably fine.
That first page adds no value to the stated theme of the book.
"An LCS official defended retaining the book by arguing that removal would impact those parents and students who had no issue with the content."
I think the impact on the parents who do have an issue with the content is intolerable. Their little kid being taught about homosexual unions and groomed into accepting them as equal to heterosexual unions without their parental approval is an egregious abuse of power and trust.
Perhaps, these books should be given out by parental request only.
This is just WRONG for Elementary School.