Florida’s School Book Ban
Overview
A Florida school district has removed books from its libraries as part of a new state education reform law. The books must be reviewed to ensure they don’t contain any prohibited content, including pornography, race-based teachings, or instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity. There are concerns among educators and parents that some books may be banned due to the new legislation.
Instructions:
Ask your students to watch the video below (either before or during the class). When finished check their understanding by asking the questions directly below the video before moving on to discuss the conversation questions.Answer The Questions Below To Check Your Understanding
- What state did the book ban occur in?
- What specific book does the video say was banned and why?
- What is the purpose of the media specialist review in the new education reform law?
Conversation Questions
- What do you think about the book ban in Florida schools?
- How important do you think it is to have diverse books in the classroom?
- What impact do you think the book ban will have on students and teachers?
- Is the new education reform law in Florida effective in improving education for students?
- Should students have the right to choose what books they read in the classroom?
- Can book bans lead to censorship and a lack of critical thinking skills in students?
- What do you think about the media specialist review process for books?
- What do you think are the main arguments in favour of the book ban?
- What do you think are the main arguments against the book ban?
- Do you think "book ban" is a fair name for what is happening in Florida?
