30 May 2023
Recent attacks on the content in school libraries have caught the public and media eye, particularly the legislation governing Florida’s libraries. As such, many questions on the efficacy and legitimacy of this legislation arise. The legislation’s authoritarian undertones are clear, but this is something much attention has already been brought to. What about the other factors — what is the relationship of this legislation to the library as a social space? What are the political implications on Gov. DeSantis’ future presidential bid? Can the library survive? The library is undoubtedly caught in one of the most convincing cases for American conservativism’s shift to authoritarianism — and minority youth are in danger.
Introduction
It is early Saturday morning. The school library is frozen in time, everything right where it was at dismissal just one day prior, or perhaps even longer. Each shelved book exists in its own timeline. Usage is carved into its spine, dating it like the ever-increasing rings of a tree (of which it came from). One book in particular catches the eye, and upon opening, a small cloud of dust releases. You wonder when the last time someone even touched this book was, let alone the last time it was thoroughly engaged with. Before you even consider flipping through the pages, it is already back on the shelf.
Florida Book Bans
“Confusion” is the one descriptor every Florida educator and political analyst can agree on when referencing recent book banks in the state. Guised as “parental rights” protection and stopping “woke” education, these bans were first marketed as early as March 2022, as a way to reduce the amount of sensitive sexual content that children experience in their education. Pornographic language and LGBTQ+ orientation were the two primary targets that parents and lawmakers rallied against in Florida at first, but now laws are becoming so unclear that books detailing other sensitive topics like violence, race relations, and history are starting to be reviewed for their place in school libraries and classrooms across the state.
HB1467[i] takes this notion to the extreme, allowing unfettered challenges and reviews of any material that a parent may find controversial. The bill calls first for a database of all material housed in school libraries, public and searchable for parents to understand what their children may learn in school, for transparency[ii] purposes. But the bill also allows the organization of school board meetings (on the school’s dime) whenever a parent finds that one of these books is not suitable for a child audience, and districts will have ultimate power in determining where these books end up: back on the shelf or in the trash.
“Inappropriate” is a vague term, detailing the wide range of books that children read in school that could be offensive to a parent of a student. Though Governor Ron DeSantis claims that the book ban is a “hoax[1],” the systematic review of every book in the library would say otherwise. Duval County School District removed a book about Roberto Clemente[iii] from their shelves, citing restrictions on teaching about racism. Though the DeSantis administration claimed this book was not evidence of a widespread “book ban,” they did order that the Clemente book be returned to shelves, revealing a clear lack of oversight. Teachers across multiple districts in Florida have reported that until a media specialist, designated by the state, as reviewed each book for content, these books must be pulled or covered with a sheet.
DeSantis even offers a Myth/Fact page on his own website detailing certain aspects of the Book Ban, and why these claims are “untrue.” Despite claiming factuality, his own reporting of his laws are misleading. In one note, he claims only a handful of books were actually deemed unfit for libraries, but neglects to mention the countless number of books that are either under review or available to be challenged by any parent in the school district.
Florida is not alone in this endeavor. As one of 18 states[iv] that has implemented self-described “anti-woke” legislation, Florida schools cannot engage in discussion or teaching of history that may make students feel “guilty” about past-actions that were committed by their race – another vague law. On top of this, the teaching of “critical race theory” specifically, is banned. CRT broadly references the teaching of historical race relations, including how past laws reflect current socioeconomic standing of African Americans today, and the theory behind rectification and reparation techniques.
In effect, the swift passage of so many vague and unorganized laws has caused chaos in Florida classrooms and libraries. And of course, repealing these laws and letting educators do their job – educating – is the best way to resolve the dispute. But one must question the legitimacy and logos of these laws. In an increasingly digital media-oriented society, and one where school libraries continue to go underutilized by the general school-aged population, why are physical books and school libraries the subject of scrutiny?
The State of the American Library & “Wokeness”
If libraries are as underfunded, underutilized, and underappreciated as the American public may believe, then why would laws be necessary to target an already dying service? Digital media, Smart devices, and the Internet are all the primary methods in which students engage with academia. Long gone are the days where students rifle through encyclopedias, texts, and primary sources to conduct study. Yet, libraries are adapting with the times better than the average person realizes.
According to the analyses collected by Wordsrated[v], libraries are in fact, not a dying space. While libraries are decreasing in physical visits year by year (down 21% in 10 years), and print books are being checked out far less frequently (down 19% in 6 years), digitized usage is ever-increasing. The library is transforming into a space where more and more people are engaging due to the increased accessibility of the platforms. As of 2019, there are “more registered borrowers than ever (53%” [of the American population]), and the total collection size of libraries is more digital than ever (58%). The increasing usage of the digital collection offsets the decreasing of physical collection usage, producing an effect of more general library usage than ever before. Past studies have displayed that student libraries are underutilized [vi]in general, but these libraries are still a necessary place for underserved and underrepresented people to find the materials they need.
The ALA (American Library Association) reported that even back in 2015, diversity in reading material is a forefront concern for educators, stating:
The lack of diverse books for young readers continues to fuel concern. Over the past 12 months the library community has fostered conversations and fueled a groundswell toward activism to address the lack of diversity reflected in children’s literature—both in content and among writers and illustrators.[vii]
Diversity and multicultural topics in books have long been a concern for librarians and children across the country. The vast timeline starting 20 years ago suggests that there is not a new cultural push to include diversity and breadth of backgrounds in learning. In 2014, the term “woke” (the very thing DeSantis’s anti-woke bill combats) began a new era of definition in the Black community. After the killing of Michael Brown and protests in Ferguson, MO, the term woke began to mean[viii] something along the lines of “be aware of police brutality”. In 2023, the term has been co-opted by conservatives back to the undefined and unclear, referencing anything potentially progressive, anything potentially diverse, and anything that challenges the status quo of white patriarchal America. Wokeness[ix] is the new conservative American’s target. The Republican party is struggling to find its platform in the wake of Trump’s controversial presidency, thus “wokeness,” in its most abstract, is becoming the subject of conservative attack.
The culture of DeSantis’s “wokeness” is not new – but only now is Florida’s administration attempting to respond to the ideology. Additionally, none of these laws are founded in particularly new or inventive ideas in the current culture. Yes, it may be new to the state that challenges to books are becoming concrete law, but the ALA reported that:
A current analysis of book challenges recorded by ALA’s Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF) from 2001 – 2013, shows that attempts to remove books by authors of color and books with themes about issues concerning communities of color are disproportionately challenged and banned. A challenge is defined as a formal, written complaint filed with a library or school requesting that a book or other material be restricted or removed because of its content or appropriateness.
Why now is the law beginning to catch up with the anti-book trend? When referencing the amount of progress society has made in the direction of Black & LGBTQ+ inclusivity, rights, and social approval since 2001, these statistics make sense. Of course parents were challenging these ideologies back then. The only thing that has changed is media reception.
The Eye of the Media
Libraries are flourishing in usage, but not in the ways the media will show the American citizen. But now, the conservative movement is capitalizing on it. Wherever an educator or scholar decry empty bookshelves and walled off collections in student libraries are, a camera will now follow.
For years, the anti-woke movement has been searching for something to give themselves legitimacy. The movement is shrouded in ideology that never really had a tangible effect – until now. Finally, conservatives and anti-woke subscribers have something to show for their actions. And DeSantis is the reigning king of the movement, with a skyrocketing approval rating and an eye on the presidential nomination, DeSantis needs the momentum of tangible success that the former president always failed to garner. Where Trump’s favorability rating remains steady at around 43% for the past two years, DeSantis’s is growing, up to a tie of 43% from 30% just over a year ago. And DeSantis is leading a less polarizing crusade too, with a low unfavorable rating of 35%, compared to Trump’s 52%[x]. As media attention continues to give the minute, interworking of cultural clashes in Florida attention, the rest of conservative and anti-woke America is seeing their dreams realized on the big screen.
The Library Space: More Than Academia
The library is one of the last public spaces where all walks of life may come together; impoverished and wealthy alike all come to the library for different reasons. According to Pew Research in 2015, 50% of those making $75k or more annually used a library that year, while 41% of those making less than $30k a year did. There are equal usage statistics among those who identified as white non-Hispanic, black non-Hispanic, and Hispanic[2], and near-equal usage among those from rural, suburban, and urban areas[3][xi].
Class consciousness[xii] offers an understanding that the classes are divided, and that it is through this divide that “workers become conscious of their shared socioeconomic conditions,” leads to working class revolution. The library is a place where classes come together, discuss, and can organize. By antagonizing this space of unity, conservatives can break the potential relationships that may form between poor and rich, educated and non-educated, Black and white, communities. Some of the books conservatives are seeking to ban include anticapitalism theory. It is the goal of the conservative movement to remove access to theory and access to dialogue that aims to solve the plight of the working class American[xiii]. By doing so, conservatives can isolate the American worker, cutting off their connection from the ideas that may lead to conservativism’s undoing: a growing left-leaning population[4].
It is true, too, that the library is not only a space for class consciousness and wealth-related dialogue. The library is a space of belonging and togetherness. The ALA adopted a resolution in 2019, stating that the library ought to “develop, provide, and disseminate materials and programming for libraries that deter hate, foster community, and oppose bigotry toward or oppression against any group.”[xiv] In short, the library is becoming more and more of a “safe space.”[xv] Traditionally, marginalized groups seek solace at the library[5].
GLSEN,[6] a queer rights and safety advocate group, even offers resources on creating safe spaces in the library, noting that the culture of schools may be unsafe for LGBTQ+ youth[xvi]. In 2011, GLSEN reported that 82% of queer youth experienced harassment in their school on the basis of their sexual orientation or gender identity; and they note in their resources: “They may come to the library to feel safe.” Libraries may be one of the few sources where underrepresented youth may find their representation, and that representation may even be outsized. According to GLSEN’s School Climate Survey in 2021[xvii], even though only 25% of LGBTQ+ students saw themselves represented in the actual curriculum of their classes (and specifically, sex-ed classes[7]), 62% found inclusive materials in their school libraries. It is precisely this that conservative policy attempts to destroy.
By removing books that are directly tied to queer culture and the Black experience, conservatives are attempting to remove these peoples’ abilities to find their stories[xviii]. And it is dire that these communities find their representation and belonging. While the economic and social struggle of Black Americans endures, conservatives remove the ability for Black youth to find the writings that attempt to teach them why. Where queer depression and suicide rates skyrocket, conservatives are stoking the fire, removing their access to the stories that make them feel normal. The effects of these book bans are clear, a lack of understanding in all minoritarian identities — Black, queer, Latin, and disabled communities on their place in society, their belonging and meaning, and their way out of struggle. But it is purely speculation to reason as to why. Perhaps conservatives fear the power of organized and educated Black and liberal youth, as America saw when they demonized Black Lives Matter protests. Perhaps the end goal is to drive suicide rates up in queer communities, effectively beginning a new wave of American queer erasure – genocide, if you will[8].
The library itself represents a traditionally independent haven for youth to find themselves. Prior to laws that attempt to remove this, libraries and specifically school libraries could be seen as an appendage on the body of the school system. Where the school and administration focus heavily on curriculum, the library was free to operate in a way that it saw beneficial to students, free of the oversight of the state. The conservative approach now forces scrutiny on the library, and the library is now subject to the same exclusive approach to education that the general school body already experiences.
The safety of the library must be removed to meet conservativism’s end goal: remove diversity from our culture. As bans on LGBTQ+ culture grow – bans on transgender participation in sports, bans on gender affirming care, and bans on drag performance[xix] — it is clear that that the end goal is to banish LGBTQ+ people back to the shadows — or kill them. One motive is explicitly clear: the “woke movement” that has sparked flames amongst parents and lawmakers is directly tied to minoritarian identity, mostly seen regarding Black and queer identity. And in fighting to “win” this culture war, conservatives have chosen their approach: extinguish these identities. Aided by laws that target other aspects of public life, the destruction of a clear safe space in schools sends the message: you’re not welcome here.
Consequences of anti-minoritarian pushback are not just for the future; they are happening now. Underrepresented youth are losing their rights and access to the materials that will benefit them. Libraries are being overrun by conservative parents trying to ban every book that does not align with their specific ideology. Libraries are no longer a safe place, as bomb and other violent threats that seek to undermine their legitimacy. The new conservative playbook is frightening, but resilience is key.
Thank you to Prof. Christine Case in the English Department for guiding my analysis and encouraging the recognition of American libraries’ diversity — their strongest attribute.
Footnotes
[1] It is the very nature of these deflections to keep fascism going unnoticed. Where DeSantis veils these laws as parental rights bills, they are actually more akin to authoritarianism, mandating what schools are allowed to teach, and what ideologies students are actually allowed to be in dialogue with. The goal of deflections away from the fascist overtones of Florida education policy aim to keep citizens in the dark on the direction these bans go.
[2] 45%, 45%, 44% respectively.
[3] 41%, 47%, 45% respectively.
[4] It is no secret that the growing youth-voting population is one that heavily identifies with left-leaning or traditionally Democratic policy. To combat this new population that rejects conservativism, the American right must use every tactic it can to separate voters from each other. Wealthy individuals and corporations are on the offense against organizations such as unions, an attempt to further divide the American worker from people who they can organize with. To survive the growing demographic and political shift, conservative lies and swindling is on the uptick.
[5] College campuses have long been the subject of “safe space,” discussion, places where students can seek shelter from bigotry and hateful ideology or receive resources on navigating a climate that seeks to harm them. Conservatives have rallied against safe spaces in general, utilizing the common phrase “snowflake” to refer to students on college campuses who need the extra guidance and space away from hateful ideology. Even the notably conservative University of Chicago decried trigger warnings and safe spaces. It is more pertinent than ever, though, that safe spaces be recognized as a legitimate place for minority students to find peace. Mental health advocates continue to find that the anxiety of being a minority student constantly on-guard against potential bigotry can take a toll on academic performance and personal success. For high schoolers and middle schoolers, bullying is all too common. The library serves a space where students can both find materials that affirm and educate them on their identity and also surround themselves with like-minded individuals with whom they form community.
[6] GLSEN is an American organization that seeks to end discrimination, harassment, bullying, and bigotry against queer youth and to promote more understanding of sexual identity, gender expression, and other queer topics in elementary and middle schools.
[7] It is important to note that queer youth not finding themselves in school sex-ed classes is incredibly dangerous, and lacks support amongst medical professionals. The very nature of youth sexual relations (not just in queer youth, in all youth) is an attempt to seek resources that both teach them how to engage safely, and to better understand their own sexual identity. The consequences of poor sex-ed can range from high teen-pregnancy rates to high STI-rates. For queer people, not having the materials available to engage with their own sexuality can lead to an erasure of that sexuality. In texts, the Florida government has deemed many book bans as a way to rid “pornography” from the shelves. Yet, pornography and writing-that-simply-includes-sex-acts are two completely different things. Pornography denotes a type of medium that engages with sexuality in a way to elicit pleasureful responses in the viewer. In many cases in youth literature, sexual acts are included in the plot of the book, not intended to evoke a stimulating response. It is the goal of conservativism to paint children as unsexual beings; yet 54% of youth aged 15-19 report having engaged in a sexual act at least one time. It is necessary that children engage safely, but the bans on sexual material in youth will only exacerbate an already present STI and pregnancy problem.
[8] Queer erasure is being noticed more and more by American academics and queer rights advocates as laws banning queer books, queer expression schools, trans medical and social rights, and even drag performances have increased. This approach, one that is direct enough but also indirect enough, will have monumental impact on the community. It is the very nature of familial and public acceptance of LGBTQ+ identity that drives suicide rates down. No conservative politician (yet) would release a statement urging the killing of LGBTQ+ people, but it is crucial to understand that these policies have that direct effect. This stems from an unbridled homophobia, a fear of one’s child becoming queer simply by reading the material that is present for them.
Works Cited
Image via Pexels Free Photos.
[i] Tolin, Lisa. “Florida Book Bans: Why Are Shelves Empty?” PEN America, February 13, 2023. https://pen.org/florida-book-bans-empty-shelves/.
[ii] “Florida Bill Would Let Parents and Citizens Challenge Any Book Used in Schools.” PEN America, March 16, 2022. https://pen.org/press-release/florida-bill-would-let-parents-and-citizens-challenge-any-book-used-in-schools/.
[iii] Pendharkar, Eesha. “There’s Confusion over Book Bans in Florida Schools. Here’s Why.” Education Week. Education Week, March 17, 2023. https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/theres-confusion-over-book-bans-in-florida-schools-heres-why/2023/03.
[iv] Walsh, Mark. “Yanking Books from School Libraries: What the Supreme Court Has Said, and Why It’s Murky.” Education Week. Education Week, December 16, 2021. https://www.edweek.org/policy-politics/yanking-books-from-school-libraries-what-the-supreme-court-has-said-and-why-its-murky/2021/12.
[v] Rizzo, Nicholas. “State of US Public Libraries – More Popular & Digital than Ever.” WordsRated, March 21, 2023. https://wordsrated.com/state-of-us-public-libraries/.
[vi] Clabo, Carrie. “A Study of the Library Use Practices of High School Students in Three …” Accessed April 14, 2023. https://dc.etsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?httpsredir=1&article=1792&context=etd.
[vii] Admin. “Public Library Use.” Tools, Publications & Resources. ALA, November 7, 2016. https://www.ala.org/tools/libfactsheets/alalibraryfactsheet06.
[viii] Romano, Aja. “A History of ‘Wokeness.’” Vox. Vox, October 9, 2020. https://www.vox.com/culture/21437879/stay-woke-wokeness-history-origin-evolution-controversy.
[ix] “What Is behind Ron DeSantis’s Stop-Woke Act? | Cas Mudde.” The Guardian. Guardian News and Media, February 6, 2023. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/feb/06/what-is-behind-ron-desantis-stop-woke-act.
[x] Skelley, Geoffrey. “Do Americans like Donald Trump, Nikki Haley or Ron DeSantis?” FiveThirtyEight. FiveThirtyEight, March 6, 2023. https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/trump-desantis-pence-election-polls/.
[xi] “Chapter 1: Who Uses Libraries and What They Do at Their Libraries.” Pew Research Center: Internet, Science & Tech. Pew Research Center, December 31, 2019. https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2015/09/15/who-uses-libraries-and-what-they-do-at-their-libraries/.
[xii] “Class Consciousness.” Class Consciousness – an overview | ScienceDirect Topics. Accessed April 13, 2023. https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/social-sciences/class-consciousness.
[xiii] Schwartz, Sarah, and Eesha Pendharkar. “Here’s the Long List of Topics Republicans Want Banned from the Classroom.” Education Week. Education Week, February 22, 2022. https://www.edweek.org/policy-politics/heres-the-long-list-of-topics-republicans-want-banned-from-the-classroom/2022/02.
[xiv] Ahayes. “Libraries as Safer Spaces.” ALA, October 3, 2019. https://www.ala.org/aboutala/libraries-safer-spaces.
[xv] Yee, Megan. “Why ‘Safe Spaces’ Are Important for Mental Health.” Healthline. Healthline Media, June 4, 2019. https://www.healthline.com/health/mental-health/safe-spaces-college#3.
[xvi] “Libraries as Safe Spaces.” GLSEN. Accessed April 13, 2023. https://www.glsen.org/activity/libraries-safe-spaces.
[xvii] “2021 National School Climate Survey.” GLSEN. Accessed April 13, 2023. https://www.glsen.org/2021-national-school-climate-survey.
[xviii] Alexander, Gemma. “Why School Libraries Need LGBTQ Books.” ParentMap. Accessed April 13, 2023. https://www.parentmap.com/article/why-school-libraries-need-lgbtq-books.
[xix] “Bans on Transgender Youth Participation in Sports.” Movement Advancement Project. Accessed April 13, 2023. https://www.lgbtmap.org/equality-maps/youth/sports_participation_bans.
Policy & Political Review 