Documents Related to Books Banned for Critical Race Theory or LGBTQ+ Themes by the Miami-Dade Department of Education
| Tracking # |
1293 |
| Submitted | April 6, 2023 |
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Communications
From: Jordan Lassiter
To Whom It May Concern:
Pursuant to the Florida Sunshine Law, I hereby request the following records:
I am requesting access to documents held by the Miami-Dade Department of Education related to books that have been banned or removed from schools due to their connection to Critical Race Theory (CRT) or their depiction of LGBTQ+ characters or themes.
I want to emphasize that I do not consent to the withholding, deletion, or redaction of any responsive records or documents, except in cases where the Miami-Dade Department of Education can provide a specific justification for why the records are exempt from disclosure under the Florida Sunshine Law. Please provide me with any non-exempt records or documents in their entirety, including any segregable portions that may be released.
Furthermore, I hereby provide notice that any attempt to withhold, redact, or delete responsive records or documents without providing a specific justification for why they are exempt from disclosure will be met with a complaint and legal action to compel the Miami-Dade Department of Education to provide access to the requested records in accordance with the Florida Sunshine Law.
In support of this request, I would like to reference case law that affirms the public's right to access government records under the Florida Sunshine Law. One key case is Times Publishing Co. v. Williams, 222 So. 2d 470 (Fla. 2d DCA 1969), which held that the public has a right to access government records and that any exemptions to the FOIA must be narrowly construed. Another important case is Board of County Commissioners of Palm Beach County v. Dain, 719 So. 2d 1063 (Fla. 4th DCA 1998), which held that a government agency must provide a specific justification for withholding or redacting information under an exemption to the FOIA.
Specifically, I am seeking any records, reports, memoranda, emails, or other documents related to the decision-making process behind the banning or removal of books from schools due to their connection to CRT or their depiction of LGBTQ+ characters or themes. This may include but is not limited to any policies, guidelines, or procedures related to this decision-making process.
Additionally, I am interested in any records, reports, memoranda, emails, or other documents related to any complaints or challenges made against books due to their connection to CRT or their depiction of LGBTQ+ characters or themes. This may include but is not limited to any correspondence or communication between the Miami-Dade Department of Education and individuals or groups involved in such challenges or complaints.
Furthermore, I am requesting a list of all books that have been banned or removed from schools in Florida due to their connection to CRT or their depiction of LGBTQ+ characters or themes. Please provide the title, author, and reason for the banning or removal of each book.
If any responsive records or documents are exempt from disclosure, I request that you provide me with a justification for each exemption relied upon.
The requested documents will be made available to the general public, and this request is not being made for commercial purposes.
In the event that there are fees, I would be grateful if you would inform me of the total charges in advance of fulfilling my request. I would prefer the request filled electronically, by e-mail attachment if available or CD-ROM if not.
Thank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation in this matter. I look forward to receiving your response to this request within 10 business days.
Sincerely,
Good Citizen
From: Miami-Dade County Public School District
Good afternoon:
This is in response to your public records request. Your request has been routed to the appropriate staff. Please be advised that upon receipt of the records by staff of my office, you will be notified. Should complying with your request require the extensive use of information technology resources or extensive clerical or supervisory assistance, an estimate of the cost shall be provided to you prior to the actual gathering of the records.
For any additional questions, please visit www.cic.dadeschools.net<http://www.cic.dadeschools.net/>.
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* Department of Mental Health Services: mentalhealthservices.dadeschools.net<http://track.spe.schoolmessenger.com/f/a/hrrKBLvTF_DxZ_jR2KlJRw~~/AAAAAQA~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-mJ9BemiUhphc2F1Z3VzdGluQGRhZGVzY2hvb2xzLm5ldFgEAAAAAQ~~> or 305-995-7100 for support, services and resources for students and families.
* Parent Concern Hotline: 305-995-2333 for general questions.
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* The Parent Academy: parentacademymiami.com<http://track.spe.schoolmessenger.com/f/a/BO-y7D8KYn_6-aBWiLXyLw~~/AAAAAQA~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_pifQXpolIaYXNhdWd1c3RpbkBkYWRlc2Nob29scy5uZXRYBAAAAAE~> supports and motivates families with access to information and vital resources in the form of a wide variety of training tools, webinars and resources. The Parent Academy is holding new, weekly webinars in three languages. Visit their Virtual Toolkit for Families or call 305-271-8257 for more Back-to-School information.
[Icon Description automatically generated]Alissa Augustin
Supervisor
Citizen Information Center
Miami-Dade County Public Schools
1450 N.E. Second Avenue
Miami, Florida 33132
305-995-1637
asaugustin@dadeschools.net<mailto:asaugustin@dadeschools.net>
http://news.dadeschools.net<http://news.dadeschools.net/>
[Logo Description automatically generated]<https://twitter.com/MDCPS> [A cross with a blue background Description automatically generated with low confidence] <https://www.facebook.com/miamischools> [Icon Description automatically generated] <https://www.instagram.com/miamischools/> [Logo Description automatically generated] <https://www.youtube.com/user/miamischools>
From: Muckrock Staff
To Whom It May Concern:
I wanted to follow up on the following Florida Sunshine Law request, copied below, and originally submitted on April 6, 2023. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response. You had assigned it reference number #1293.
Thanks for your help, and let me know if further clarification is needed.
From: Miami-Dade County Public School District
Good morning:
I have forwarded your email to the appropriate staff for a response to your request. Once we receive any information, a response will be forwarded to you.
[cid:image003.png@01D976A3.56579EF0]Alissa S. Augustin
Supervisor
Citizen Information Center,
Miami-Dade County Public Schools
1450 N.E. Second Avenue
Miami, Florida 33132
305-995-1637
From: Muckrock Staff
To Whom It May Concern:
I wanted to follow up on the following Florida Sunshine Law request, copied below, and originally submitted on April 6, 2023. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response. You had assigned it reference number #1293.
Thanks for your help, and let me know if further clarification is needed.
From: Miami-Dade County Public School District
Good morning:
I have forwarded your email to the appropriate staff for a response to your request. Once we receive any information, a response will be forwarded to you.
[cid:image003.png@01D98269.70A26C50]Alissa S. Augustin
Supervisor
Citizen Information Center,
Miami-Dade County Public Schools
1450 N.E. Second Avenue
Miami, Florida 33132
305-995-1637
From: Muckrock Staff
To Whom It May Concern:
I wanted to follow up on the following Florida Sunshine Law request, copied below, and originally submitted on April 6, 2023. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response. You had assigned it reference number #1293.
Thanks for your help, and let me know if further clarification is needed.
From: Miami-Dade County Public School District
Good Morning:
I have forwarded your email to the appropriate staff for a response to your request. Once we receive any information, a response will be forwarded to you.
[cid:image003.png@01D98E33.4C74A750]Alissa S. Augustin
Supervisor
Citizen Information Center,
Miami-Dade County Public Schools
1450 N.E. Second Avenue
Miami, Florida 33132
305-995-1637
From: Muckrock Staff
To Whom It May Concern:
I wanted to follow up on the following Florida Sunshine Law request, copied below, and originally submitted on April 6, 2023. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response. You had assigned it reference number #1293.
Thanks for your help, and let me know if further clarification is needed.
From: Muckrock Staff
To Whom It May Concern:
I wanted to follow up on the following Florida Sunshine Law request, copied below, and originally submitted on April 6, 2023. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response. You had assigned it reference number #1293.
Thanks for your help, and let me know if further clarification is needed.
From: Miami-Dade County Public School District
August 2, 2023
MuckRock News
VIA EMAIL: requests@muckrock.com<mailto:requests@muckrock.com>
To Whom It May Concern:
This is in response to your attached public records request. The staff of the Office of Academics and Transformation has provided my office with the three attached records relative to your request. Staff has advised these books were removed due to inappropriate content for age group.
* A Court of Mist and Fury
* Daddy's Roommate
* Fates and Furies
These books were neither objected to, nor challenged. However, through an audit, they were identified as being inappropriate due to the adult content and sexually charged language utilized throughout the books. Attached are the reviews from Follet's Titlewave platform that identifies the books as either being Adult or Young Adult (Age 17) in nature. Note that Daddy's Roommate is now an archived title in Titlewave and therefore may be removed from libraries. These books were only located in four of our libraries, and the singular copies were weeded out.
Additionally, staff has advised there are no records, reports, memoranda, emails, or other documents related to any complaints or challenges made against books due to their connection to CRT or their depiction of LGBTQ+ characters or themes as no challenges or complaints have been filed to-date.
M-DCPS does not maintain a record of all books that have been banned or removed from schools in Florida due to any circumstances or criteria.
Sincerely,
Alissa S. Augustin
Supervisor, Citizen Information Center
Office of Communications
ASA
L- 1145 (R1293)
Attachments
cc: Dr. Jose L. Dotres
Tammy T. Reed
[cid:image003.png@01D9C556.947CB380]Alissa S. Augustin
Supervisor
Citizen Information Center,
Miami-Dade County Public Schools
1450 N.E. Second Avenue
Miami, Florida 33132
305-995-1637
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