She said her class read some poems and short stories in place of “The Bluest Eye” while it was yanked from their syllabus.Įvery Thursday, get the latest updates on what’s happening in Tampa Bay area schools from Times education reporter Jeffrey S. Lane said she and her classmates appreciated the media specialists’ effort. nothing much happened,” said Palm Harbor University High junior Eliza Lane, who organized a rally to seek the book’s return. “We talked to the principal, the school board, appointed district officials, and.

Students who fought the ban said they were disappointed with the process but pleased with the committee’s decision. Prominent civic leaders who raised concerns that the district did not well handle materials about Black history have pointedly told Hendrick he must do a better job of communicating challenges and seeking input. Pinellas has attempted to thread the needle, heeding challenges about the appropriateness of materials and reacting to pushback.īut its responses created wariness within the Black community.

“We’re seeing how this plays out, and it’s playing out well with the committees,” Edmond said.īoard member Eileen Long agreed, saying she was proud of the panel for supporting the book. “I’ll definitely be bringing it up” with the board, she added.īoard member Caprice Edmond called the committee’s decision “great,” adding that the ban was an unfortunate event that occurred as the district tried to figure out how to implement state laws and rules regarding book selection and challenges. “This should be something all parents are required to give consent because of the upsetting nature of the content,” Meyer said. She did not feel the same about making the book freely available in high school libraries. School board members were divided on the outcome, which by policy does not come to them for consideration.īoard member Stephanie Meyer, who said she found the rape scene unsettling for herself, said she supported the move to allow teachers to use the book in class after consulting with parents. The decision was made after looking into factors such as age-appropriateness, educational value and state law, Dull wrote to board members. Teachers also will be able to use the book in classes, after first following district procedures for controversial materials, including receiving parental consent and offering alternatives.

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