The Florida Senate on Friday passed a measure which would allow anyone to object to instructional material in public schools. It maybe sounds fair, but the problem about a possible law is that any Florida resident, not just parents or officials, can seek a hearing to have what they see as objectionable textbooks, library books or material removed from schools. Knowing that it takes all sorts to make a world, it seems the new bill would help individuals challenge the teaching of evolution and climate change.
The legislation, which passed the House of Representatives last month in a 94-25 vote, now goes to Republican Governor Rick Scott and reads:
Revises district school board responsibilities relating to review & adoption of public K-12 instructional materials; authorizes county residents to challenge use or adoption of instructional materials; revises requirements relating to public hearing for adoption of such materials; revises annual allocation for purchase of instructional materials.
“We’re not trying to ban books,” said Keith Flaugh, founder of the Florida Citizens’ Alliance, which pushed for that state’s bill. They are only seeking balance in schools including teaching both evolution and creationism and the various arguments about climate change. What kind of balance are they talking about? Public schools are institutions that teach kids about science and churches teach about biblical themes. That is the only balance needed.
Critics think that the bill allows censorship of school materials. “’Balance’ is a code word for ‘censor,'” Joan Bertin, executive director of the National Coalition Against Censorship, said. “It means they don’t like what is being taught, and they want something else being taught.” The National Center for Science Education points out their main concern: Florida Citizens for Science’s Brandon Haught warned that if the bill becomes law, “school boards will become inundated with demands that certain books be banned and that schools must discontinue using textbooks that don’t mesh with a vocal minority’s ideological views.”
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