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I'm continuing to mull over the best way to share the story of the Columbia County Board of Education's interference in its literature classes and media centers, but this e-mail from a teacher to an administrator obtained via Open Records Request is too valuable not to share immediately. Again, I've redacted identifying information.
The most important point is the response of the administrator: "The response below summarizes the feedback I continue to receive." The only reason we learned about Columbia County Board of Education's interference in book selection for its literature classes and media centers is because teachers and principals objected and somebody notified local media.
The teacher's words are spot on:
I feel lied to and manipulated. At no point was I told that my hard work and analysis would be used for a book censoring / banning initiative. This goes against everything I believe in as an educator and a citizen. If this is the objective of the committee, I am resigning. I cannot be part of something I so vehemently disagree with. I am disappointed and concerned that this is where we are.
I hope the board will reconsider this initiative, because it is a disservice to our students. It teaches them to hide from the uncomfortable, and it sets them up for failure in the real world. I believe it goes against our new county mission statement. If we censor literature, we are not "empowering and inspiring ALL learners to excel in a global society"; we are hiding them from the truth.