Last week, five additional parents joined the federal lawsuit filed earlier this spring against the Escambia County School Board for the removals and restrictions of books from school libraries and classrooms.
Why this matters: The amended suit, led by the free expression organization PEN America, Penguin Random House and a diverse group of authors and parents of Escambia County students, seeks to ensure access to books on a wide range of topics with a wide range of viewpoints. Read the amended complaint, filed today, here.
Dig Deeper: “As a Black mother of two teenage girls, I know how important it is for our children to have access to books like The Freedom Writers Diary and Beloved,” said Carin Smith, a parent who joined the lawsuit.
“I respect the right of parents to make decisions with and for their own children. In my opinion, we should not shy away from the real, raw struggles this country has faced, and my girls shouldn’t be deprived access to books on those issues because our stories make someone else uncomfortable.”
Benjamin Glass, another parent joining the suit, noted:
“Someone with a master’s degree in library science, also known as a librarian, should be deciding what’s in libraries – not politicians. Parents, of course, should be involved in what is in their own child’s best interest to read. But they shouldn’t be making decisions on behalf of other people’s children. You parent your child, I’ll parent mine, and we’ll let librarians do their jobs. That sounds good to me.”
Since the lawsuit was filed in May, the Escambia School District has continued its policies of removing books from school libraries. In that time an additional 21 book titles have been challenged and 17 have been restricted, including Pulitzer Prize-winning “Middlesex” by Jeffrey Eugenides, the landmark graphic novel “Watchmen” by Alan Moore, and the horror novel “It” by Stephen King.
Read more.
Alexander Retiring
Minneapolis Community Safety Commissioner Dr. Cedric Alexander – who helped former Pensacola Mayor Grover Robinson deal with the aftermath of the police shooting of Tymar Crawford – announced his retirement.
Why this matters: Alexander was hired a year ago to the Office of Community Safety, which included the fire and police departments, 911, the Office of Emergency Management and the Office of Violence Prevention.
- He was hired two years after a Minneapolis Police Department police officer killed George Floyd when he knelled on Floyd’s neck for over nine minutes.
Dig Deeper: In a written statement, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said:
“Commissioner Alexander’s career has been defined by a commitment to public safety and public service. When Minneapolis needed strong leadership and a clear vision, he answered the call. I am grateful for his dedication to our city and his excellent work to curb violent crime and make a comprehensive safety system a reality.”
Alexander was hired while the Minneapolis Police and the City were under investigation by the Department of Justice. DOJ issued its report this past June, which found “the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) and the City of Minneapolis (City) engage in a pattern or practice of conduct in violation of the U.S. Constitution and federal law.”
The DOJ found MPD:
- used excessive force, including unjustified deadly force and unreasonable use of tasers;
- unlawfully discriminated against Black people and Native American people in its enforcement activities, including the use of force following stops;
- violated the rights of people engaged in protected speech; and
- along with the city, discriminated against people with behavioral health disabilities when responding to calls for assistance.
Florida Got Covid Wrong
While Gov. Ron DeSantis personally crusaded for Floridians 65 and older to get shots, he laid off once younger age groups became eligible.
- DeSantis flipped from promoting the Covid vaccines to opposing requiring anyone to get shots.
Why this matters: And Floridians got sick and dead.
Dig Deeper: The New York Times reports when the Delta variant hit in 2021, Floridians died at a higher rate, adjusted for age, than residents of almost any other state during the Delta wave.
With less than 7% of the nation’s population, Florida accounted for 14% of deaths between the start of July and the end of October in 2021.
Of the 23,000 Floridians who died, 9,000 were younger than 65.
Had Florida reached a vaccination rate of 74%, we could have prevented more than 16,000 deaths and more than 61,000 hospitalizations that summer, according to a study published in the medical journal The Lancet.
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