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Parents and Residents Come Together to Protect Children from Pornographic Content
BAY COUNTY, FL - Parents in Bay County, Florida, have joined forces with other concerned residents to protect their children from potentially dangerous sexual content found in their school libraries. After discovering over 200 books containing explicit material, these parents have taken it upon themselves to ensure that schools in their community adhere to Florida State Statute 847.012.
The statute states that schools are in violation if they allow students to check out books with "explicit and detailed verbal descriptions or narrative accounts of sexual excitement, or any descriptions of sexual conduct." Parents in Bay County argue that some of the books found in their school libraries contain such content, putting their children at risk.
Their efforts have led to the discovery of questionable books in several of the middle and high schools. Although the books in question do not seem part of the regular curriculum, parents fear that their presence in school libraries may impact impressionable students.
To address this issue, parents and residents have sent book challenges this year to school administrators and have requested a thorough review of the school libraries' content. They are calling for the removal of any books that violate the state statute, in an effort to create a safe learning environment for their children. To do this, Bay District Schools developed Policy 8.302: Challenges to Adoption or Use of Instructional Library or Reading Materials, that was implemented at the April 9, 2024 school board meeting. Board members voted unanimously to create two processes for review.
In the last 2 weeks, 15 requests have been submitted to remove specific books that are in violation, using the Bay District Schools form "Specific Material Objection Form". These forms were submitted to the school principal, if the book is only in one school, and to Bay District School Media Services, if the book is in more than one school. See the list of the books and excerpts below.
“These books come to the libraries by recommendations of the publishers and are sold as “award winning” and “bestsellers,” commented one resident who attended the meeting. “Unfortunately, I have personal knowledge of the contents of these books. I volunteered to do two book reports. Both books have as many as fifteen pages devoted to intimate, erotic descriptions of sexual acts. I won’t elaborate except to say that these books are in direct violation of Florida Statute 847.011. I prefer to think of it as cleaning up the school libraries.”
"We understand that schools have a responsibility to provide a well-rounded education, but that cannot come at the expense of our children's safety," said one concerned parent. "We are simply asking for the removal of books that are not in line with Florida State Statute 847.012." https://m.flsenate.gov/Statutes/847.012
”With the adoption of what the board did today, we are going to be able to protect our students.” said Superintendent Mark McQueen. “That’s what we are after, is trying to make sure students are protected from exposure to pornographic material. What has been clearly delineated are more options available for how to achieve that.”
School administrators are currently reviewing the books in question and are expected to provide a response to the concerned parents in the coming weeks. In the meantime, parents in Bay County can bring their concerns to school Principals and District Administrators. You can view the school board meeting here: https://bay.k12.fl.us/school-board-meetings
1) Sold, Patricia McCormick, removal was requested on 3/27/24 and it was removed by 4/3/24 through the formal process from Rutherford, New Horizons, Mosley and Bozeman. "This contains explicit aberrant sexual activities including rape of a minor; prostitution; and explicit violence."
https://booklooks.org/data/files/Book%20Looks%20Reports/S/Sold.pdf
https://booklooks.org/data/files/Book%20Looks%20Reports/S/Sold%20slick%20sheet.pdf
2) A Stolen Life: A Memoir by Jaycee Dugard, removal was requested on 4/8/24 and it was removed on 4/8/24 through the formal process from Bay High School. "This book contains aberrant sexual activities involving child molestation, rape, and references to bestiality; sexual nudity; violence; drug abuse; references to animal cruelty; and mild/infrequent profanity."
https://booklooks.org/data/files/Book%20Looks%20Reports/S/A%20stolen%20life.pdf
3) Boy Toy by Barry Lyga, removal was requested on 4/7/24 and it was removed from Bozeman and Arnold through the formal process. "This book contains explicit sexual activities including a minor with an adult; sexual nudity; and excessive/frequent profanity.
https://booklooks.org/data/files/Book%20Looks%20Reports/B/Boy%20Toy.pdf
4) A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah Maas, is in the school library at Mosley, request for removal submitted 4/7/24 through the formal process. This book should be removed by 4/12/24, which is the 5th business day. "This book contains sexual nudity; obscene sexual activities; mild profanity; and violence."
https://booklooks.org/data/files/Book%20Looks%20Reports/C/A%20Court%20of%20Wings%20and%20Ruin.pdf
5) The Carnival at Bray by Jessie Ann Foley, is in the school library at Mosley. Its removal was requested on 4/9/24 through the principal at Mosley. This book should be removed by 4/16/24, which is the 5th business day. "This book contains alcohol use involving minors; profanity; sexual activities; sexual assault involving minors; and sexual nudity."
https://booklooks.org/data/files/Book%20Looks%20Reports/C/The%20Carnival%20at%20Bray.pdf
6) YOLO by Jaycee Dugard, is in the school library at Arnold. Its removal was requested on 4/9/24 through the principal at Arnold. This book should be removed by 4/16/24, which is the 5th business day. "This book contains sexual activities including sexual assault; sexual nudity; alternate sexualities; references to underage alcohol use and drug abuse; and profanity."
https://booklooks.org/data/files/Book%20Looks%20Reports/Y/YOLO.pdf
https://booklooks.org/data/files/Book%20Looks%20Reports/Y/YOLO%20slick%20sheet.pdf
7) Kissing Kate by Lauren Myracle, is in the school library at Rutherford. Its removal was requested on 4/9/24 through the principal at Rutherford. This book should be removed by 4/16/24, which is the 5th business day. "This book contains explicit sexual activities; alternate sexualities; alcohol use by minors; and mild/infrequent profanity."
https://booklooks.org/data/files/Book%20Looks%20Reports/K/Kissing%20Kate.pdf
8) The Handmaid's Tale: The Graphic Novel by Margaret Atwood and Renee Nault, is in the school library at Rutherford. Its removal was requested on 4/9/24 through the principal at Rutherford. This book should be removed by 4/16/24, which is the 5th business day. "This book contains graphic images of alcohol use; explicit sexual activities; sexual nudity; mild profanity; explicit violence; and controversial gender ideologies."
9) Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic by Alison Bechdel, is in the school library at Rutherford. Its removal was requested on 4/9/24 through the principal at Rutherford. This book should be removed by 4/16/24, which is the 5th business day. "This book contains alternate sexualities; alternate gender ideologies; profanity; alcohol use; suicide commentary; controversial religious commentary; sexual activities; and sexual nudity."
https://booklooks.org/data/files/Book%20Looks%20Reports/F/Fun%20Home.pdf
10) TTYL by Lauren Myracle, is in the school library at Rutherford and Mosley. Its removal was requested on 4/9/24 through the formal process. This book should be removed by 4/16/24, which is the 5th business day. "This book contains excessive profanity and references to sexual nudity and sexual activities."
https://booklooks.org/data/files/Book%20Looks%20Reports/T/TTYL.pdf
11) The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood, is in the school library at Rutherford and Mosley. Its removal was requested on 4/9/24 through the formal process. This book should be removed by 4/16/24, which is the 5th business day. "This book contains profanity; violence; sexual activities; self-harm including suicide."
https://booklooks.org/data/files/Book%20Looks%20Reports/H/The%20Handmaids%20Tale.pdf
12) Storm and Fury by Jennifer L. Armentrout, is in the school library at Jinks, Rosenwald, New Horizons, Rutherford, Bozeman, Arnold and Mosley. Its removal was requested on 4/9/24 through the formal process. This book should be removed by 4/16/24, which is the 5th business day. "This book contains obscene sexual activities; sexual nudity; profanity; and violence.?
https://booklooks.org/data/files/Book%20Looks%20Reports/S/Storm%20and%20Fury.pdf
https://booklooks.org/data/files/Book%20Looks%20Reports/S/Storm%20and%20Fury%20slick%20sheet.pdf
13) Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas, is in the school library at Jinks and Rutherford. Its removal was requested on 4/9/24 through the formal process. This book should be removed by 4/16/24, which is the 5th business day. "This book contains explicit sexual activities; nudity; violence; alcohol use; and mild/infrequent profanity."
https://booklooks.org/data/files/Book%20Looks%20Reports/C/Crown%20of%20Midnight.pdf
14) All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven, is in the school library at Jinks, Mosley and Rutherford. Its removal was requested on 4/9/24 through the formal process. This book should be removed by 4/16/24, which is the 5th business day. "This book contains moderate profanity and derogatory terms; suicidal ideations; sexual activities; and alcohol use."
https://booklooks.org/data/files/Book%20Looks%20Reports/A/All%20The%20Bright%20Places.pdf
15) Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood, is in the school library at Arnold, Mosley and Rutherford. Its removal was requested on 4/9/24 through the formal process. This book should be removed by 4/16/24, which is the 5th business day. "This book contains alcohol use and abuse; drug use; sexual activities; sexual nudity; profanity; suicide; violence; inflammatory religious commentary and explicit bestiality."
https://booklooks.org/data/files/Book%20Looks%20Reports/O/Oryx%20and%20Crake.pdf
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