- April 19, 2024
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When it came time to discuss her position, on whether to retain the challenged book “Sold,” Flagler School Board Chair Cheryl Massaro asked the two Student School Board members to give their opinions.
Matanzas High School representative Isabella Tieje had prepared her remarks.
“Democracy is based on the free flow of ideas. Some people may not agree with the ideologies and ideas presented in these books, but they have the option (to not read them). Why are they taking the options away from the students?” Tietje said. “It’s the parents’ responsibility to monitor their kids, not the responsibility of our School Board.”
Flagler Palm Coast representative Roymara Louissant said the issue has been much talked about in her school.
“I feel like there are alternative ways to go about a parent not wanting your child to read a certain book that doesn't hinder the intellectual ability of another student,” she said. “I feel like another thing these books provide a student is (an opportunity) to learn more about empathy, which is something that I feel a lot of students need growth on. Not just students, but us as a society as a whole.”
In a 3-2 vote, the board agreed with a district review committee’s decision to retain the book on high school library shelves. “Sold,” by Patricia McCormick, is a novel about a young girl sold into sexual slavery in India. Will Furry and Christy Chong said the book does not belong in schools. Furry said he read the book, and it is not for children.
“This book is very explicit,” he said. “It deals with childhood rape and torturing their genitalia.”
Furry said a victim of human trafficking spoke at his church once and delivered a heartbreaking story without being explicit.
“It’s not what you’re saying, but how you say it,” he said.
Sally Hunt voted with Massaro and Colleen Conklin to retain the book. Hunt suggested the media centers added a warning label to the front of the bool.
“Sold” was the first of the books challenged by members of the Moms for Liberty Flagler Chapter to reach the board after a joint school committee and a district review committee voted to retain the book. Superintendent Cathy Mittlestadt accepted the district committee’s decision.
Conklin said it was “one of the most powerful stories she’s ever read.” Massaro said she found the book enlightening.
“(Human trafficking) is happening in Flagler County,” Massaro said. “Is it a high school book? Absolutely. I think it’s valuable. There may be books that we're going to move out in the future, but this book has value. It has literary value, it has educational value, because it can teach some of our young ladies not to trust everybody, to ask questions, to make sure they know what they're doing.”
