This week, New College of Florida, a public liberal arts college, discarded hundreds of books, many related to LGBTQ issues, race, and women's rights. Photos shared on social media show these books in dumpsters and cardboard boxes in the college's parking lots.
The college defended its actions, stating that the disposal was part of a "longstanding annual procedure" known as the weeding process. According to New College, Florida statutes prohibit the sale, donation, or transfer of state-purchased materials, leading to the disposal of these items, though they aim to recycle when possible.
This event occurs against a backdrop of efforts by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis to shift the college's traditionally progressive culture to a more conservative one. Last year, New College discontinued its gender studies program, and the discarded books were reportedly associated with this defunct program. The decision followed the governor's appointment of six new members to the college's board of trustees with the intention of changing the institution's direction.
In May of the previous year, Governor DeSantis signed a law at New College that prohibits Florida's public universities and colleges from using state or federal funding for diversity programs, further aligning with his administration's broader agenda.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Florida, through its executive director Bacardi Jackson, sharply criticized the college's actions. Jackson described the book disposal as a "cultural purge" and compared it to some of history's darkest moments, where regimes sought to control thought by eliminating books and knowledge. She condemned the secretive manner in which the books were discarded, denying students the opportunity to preserve them.
This incident reflects broader trends in Florida, where books related to LGBTQ topics, race, and women have increasingly become targets amid ongoing cultural battles. A study by PEN America revealed that Florida leads in book bans, with 56% of banned books focusing on race or LGBTQ issues.
Banned Books:
Cures: A Gay Man's Odyssey by Martin Duberman
Same-Sex Unions in Premodern Europe
Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom
Feminist Thought
Race Music: Black Cultures From Bebop to Hip-Hop
Link: NBCNews
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