![]() ![]() In a June hearing about the challenge, Shane Syfrett, assistant superintendent of academic services for Leon County Schools, said the school system would be implementing the new process for the upcoming 2023-2024 school year to allow parents to approve reading material before their children check them out. “This seems to be a reasonable approach because it grants parents the means to restrict access to material they find objectionable while granting access to children of parents who find the material acceptable,” she said. Wright also said a new law, HB 1069, directed each school district to adopt processes allowing parents to limit their child’s access to library material. Wright, in her July 10 recommendation, counters that the book isn’t used as “instruction” and pointed to a clarification the Florida Department of Education issued stating that "incidental references" in books to LGBTQ people are not prohibited. Why it's being challenged: Tallahassee mom makes case that 'I am Billie Jean King' book 'infringes' on parents' rights New book challenge law: Florida schools struggle to apply new book law in which even Shakespeare is 'suspect' Lyons maintains the book is contrary to state law, largely citing the Parental Rights in Education Act, dubbed "Don't Say Gay" by critics, which prohibits instruction on sexual orientation or gender identity in schools. Being gay means that if you're a girl, you love and have romantic feelings for other girls - and if you're a boy, you love and have romantic feelings for other boys." The page drawing the challenge reads: "Around this time, I realized I was gay. "I object to material that discusses being gay and what it means to be gay," wrote Lyons. Yet, in her complaint, filed on April 25, Lyons was more specific with her concerns than just "sexual orientation," a term broadly referring to whom one is attracted to. Regardless of orientation, homosexual or heterosexual, the topic of sexual orientation is not age-appropriate or developmentally-appropriate for elementary students.” “The book was challenged because it defines sexual orientation. “It is important that it be made clear that this book was challenged not because the book mentions Billie Jean King is gay,” Lyons told the school board at a meeting last week. The Tallahassee mom who submitted the challenge, Katie Lyons, said her daughter, then a second grader at a local elementary school, brought home the children's book about King, a tennis legend who is gay - and also brought questions to her mother about a page regarding King's sexual orientation. The decision now goes to the school board, which will discuss the book challenge at its Monday meeting agenda and vote on a decision on Tuesday. King and the many contributions she has made to our country," wrote that official, retired principal D.J. "It is my opinion that removing ‘I am Billie Jean King’ from elementary schools infringes on the rights of parents who want their children to learn about Ms. ![]() Watch Video: Leon County Schools challenged book hearingĪ hearing officer picked by the Leon County School District to make a recommendation on how to proceed with a challenge to the book "I am Billie Jean King" is telling school board members they should keep it on elementary school shelves. ![]()
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