ST. PETERSBURG — A lawyer who has represented Pinellas County’s Black children for years said Wednesday that Florida’s new laws regulating discussions of race in classrooms are interfering with a long-standing federal court order governing the school district’s actions.
He cautioned Superintendent Kevin Hendrick to be mindful of the order, not just state law, as decisions are made about what can and can’t be taught in district schools.
The message went out after two controversial episodes involving challenges of school materials in Pinellas — a countywide ban of Toni Morrison’s book “The Bluest Eye” and the temporary banning of the Disney movie “Ruby Bridges” at a St. Petersburg elementary school. Both told stories about Black people, and were challenged by parents who said portions of the works are inappropriate for students.
”People in Tallahassee have stuck their noses into the middle of all this and created some issues,” said Guy Burns, attorney for the Concerned Organization for Quality Education of Black Students. But “as we go through this process, I want the district to be on notice that not only do they have to comply with the statutes, but they have to be in compliance with the court order.”
He referred to the class-action lawsuit from more than 20 years ago that found the district had failed to provide a high-quality education to Black children, as required in the state constitution. The settlement agreement, which is still in place, requires the district to include diverse lessons and provide culturally relevant curriculum and materials, among other provisions.
District officials attended a meeting with community leaders Wednesday at the Carter G. Woodson African American Museum in St. Petersburg to clear the air over the latest incidents. Hendrick explained that the district’s actions, which some have called clumsy or worse, were driven by the new state laws and rules governing the types of books and materials that may be used in public schools.
He added that lawmakers have more bills up for consideration that would further limit schools’ options when it comes to removing items from the shelves.
“Over the course of the last eight months, these things (came) quickly,” he said. “We as a district have tried to react appropriately. We’ve made some mistakes. We ask for some grace and compassion.”
He added that the district remains committed to teaching about Black history or other important issues.
“The culture war politics seek to divide people,” Hendrick told the group. “Our community is better than that.”
However, the experiences with the book and movie have left some wondering what they can expect of the district when the next challenge emerges.
“My question is, how will they react,” said Ric Davis, president of the Concerned Organization. “How they reacted to these last two incidents, it makes you wonder.”
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Explore all your optionsDavis suggested the district has a choice to make. It can take unilateral action and wait to see if the community pushes back, he said, or it can reach out to the community and ask for input as it confronts the challenges.
“I sympathize with the position that they’re in, but it’s their job. … That’s what leadership is,” Davis said. “All I ask them to do as they’re faced with those decisions is keep in mind who they are serving.”
School board member Caprice Edmond, the board’s only Black member, said the meeting demonstrated the district’s resolve. She encouraged everyone with an interest to send in their questions, concerns and comments.
“We need to work together to address our issues within our schools and our community,” she said.
Oretha Pope Jr., representing the local NAACP chapter, said it would be incumbent on Pinellas residents to hold the district’s feet to the fire when it comes to providing a high-quality education for all. That includes not allowing censorship of ideas or materials that offer the truth about history and society, she said,
“We cannot stand down, back down and allow the miseducation” of the children, Pope said. “Let’s agitate and advocate as we need to, to make this a successful endeavor.”
The concerns are many, said former Deputy Mayor Goliath Davis, who already was looking past the book and movie challenges to concerns about Black students falling behind at Lakewood High School. The school has seen its culture deteriorate in recent years, Davis said, and “something needs to be done.”
Hendrick acknowledged the concerns as real, and said the district is working to confront the many educational struggles facing the county’s diverse population.
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