TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Following national fallout from a Pinellas County school pulling a movie on Ruby Bridges, the Florida Department of Education announced Thursday that a book written by the civil rights icon would be Commissioner Manny Diaz, Jr.’s April pick for students in grades K-2.
North Shore Elementary in St. Petersburg became the center of national attention after a principal decided the school would no longer show a film on Ruby Bridges after a parent complained the film taught students racial slurs and that “white people hate black people.”
Bridges made history when she was just six years old when she integrated an all-white elementary school in New Orleans. She had to be escorted by federal officials and spent the entire year in her classroom with just her teacher after white parents unenrolled their children.
Second-grade students at North Shore Elementary watched the film, with parent permission, as part of a Black History Month lesson.
Emily Conklin, the parent who filed the complaint, chose not to let her child watch the film. She escalated her concerns by filling out a district objection form, which put viewings of the film for all students at the school on hold until a review committee made a decision.
The committee voted unanimously to keep the film without any parameters or considerations.
The vote comes as legislation and policies from the state about critical race theory cause confusion within districts over teaching African American history. Critical race theory is not taught in any Florida school.
In Duval County, the school district placed books on baseball legends Hank Aaron and Roberto Clemente under review over content about their battles with racism. The district later voted the books would stay in place.
Earlier this year, Commissioner Diaz alongside the State Board of Education faced backlash after rejecting a College Board Advanced Placement African American Studies course, saying in a letter the class “lacks educational value.”
He said there were concerns with some topics and readings within the course.
“We proudly require the teaching of African American history,” Diaz said in a Tweet. “We do not accept woke indoctrination masquerading as education.”
Critics in Florida and statewide rejected the explanation, saying it was another way the state was limiting Black history in the state.
This month’s commissioner picks also include a book on Rosa Parks for grades 3-5.
Emerald Morrow is an investigative reporter with 10 Tampa Bay. Like her on Facebook and follow her on Twitter. You can also email her at emorrow@10tampabay.com.