Angry reactions from civil liberties groups were sparked on Friday after administrators at the New College of Florida tossed hundreds of library books, many of which focused on LGBTQ+ topics and religious studies.
The school’s Jane Bancroft Cook Library parking lot was filled with an abundance of books and collections, as seen in the published images. These materials were reportedly from the school’s Gender and Diversity Center, which is no longer in operation.
The New College sparked a nationwide debate on academic freedom when DeSantis, a former Republican presidential candidate, handpicked six conservative individuals to join its board of trustees. Their explicit objective was to reshape the institution from a hub of nonconformist “free thinkers” into a stronghold of conservative ideology.
Christopher Rufo, a vocal opponent of “critical race theory in American institutions” and an activist who claims to have influenced legislation in 15 states, was selected to head the newly restructured board.
According to the school, it is important for a library to consistently evaluate and update its collection in order to cater to the evolving needs of students and faculty. The school clarified that the photographs circulating online, depicting a dumpster filled with library materials, are actually a part of the routine weeding process.
Breaking News: New College of Florida has made the decision to discard a significant number of library books earlier today.
The college’s Gender and Diversity Center had its books discarded by the school, resulting in the center being emptied of hundreds of books.
Currently in the process of filing a story. Here’s what Steven Walker shared on Twitter: “Working to file a story now. pic.twitter.com/073dU3A6mp – Steven Walker (@swalker_7) August 15, 2024.”
Civil liberties and academic freedom advocates were quick to criticize the story, expressing their deep concerns.
“People For the American Way President Sante Myrick expressed deep concern over the mistreatment of books, describing it as a deplorable act akin to treating them as mere garbage. The act of disposing of books in large quantities is not only an assault on education but also an attempt to completely erase knowledge,” Myrick said in a statement.
He added that these books had the potential to foster mutual understanding, appreciation, and unity among people, but unfortunately, they are likely to end up in a landfill, leaving the people of Florida at a loss.
According to Myrick, the images depicting heaps of discarded books are a disturbing glimpse into what could transpire under a potential second term for Trump. It is crucial that we prevent such a scenario from unfolding, as we must not allow knowledge to be compromised by animosity.
“Politicians and school boards across the nation are actively trying to ban books, particularly those written by Black and LGBTQ authors, from public schools and libraries,” stated the American Civil Liberties Union. “However, we are determined to continue advocating for our right to access diverse and inclusive literature.”
According to Jonathan Webber, Florida policy director for the Southern Poverty Law Center, Ron DeSantis’ radical transformation of colleges includes the removal and disposal of numerous books from the gender and diversity collection at New College of Florida.
According to a statement, the act of destroying books for political purposes goes against the core principles of American values and is only supported by a small number of extremist groups. The general consensus among students and parents is that educational decisions should be made by educators and not influenced by politicians in Tallahassee who are pushing their own ideological agendas.