As schools in Seminole County and surrounding areas start the 2023-2024 school year, additional tools to educate on difficult topics may be needed as book and class subject bans increase in the state of Florida.
About 570 books were banned or restricted from different schools in Florida from July 2021 to December 2022, according to PEN America.
Public libraries continue to be an additional resource for students in the light of changes in the classroom.
Ally Linville, the public communications coordinator for the Seminole County Public Library, said the library “serves as an educational resource for students of all ages.”
“The Seminole County Library hosts programs for kids, tweens, and teens year-round on topics including reading, arts and crafts, music, games, and STEM,” said Linville. “The Seminole County Library is separate from the public school system and provides books and services for patrons of all ages, including adults.”
The library policy states that Seminole County Public Library is “committed to providing a collection which spans all areas of knowledge and is responsive to the needs and requests of the entire community.”
“Students and families are invited to visit one of our five branches to get a free library card and utilize our books, eBooks, online databases, language learning tools, programs, classes, and events,” said Linville. “Teens ages 14 and up may apply to volunteer with the Library to earn Bright Futures hours.”
Local historical museums are another educational resource for parents to explore with their children.
Savannah Poole, museum curatorial assistant at the Sanford Museum, said the museum is a great resource for people to come ask questions or use the research library to find mostly location information.
“We are open to questions, and we are okay with talking about local history,” said Poole. “We are also open to having discussions about difficult topics that are connected to Sanford,” such as the town and Henry Sanford’s connection to the Congo.
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