A children’s book was targeted by a conservative group for its role in contributing to the decay of American values by daring to show an image of two seahorses being embraced. The ban is part of an ongoing effort by the group to remove books from school curricula that they consider inappropriate for a number of reasons, including water horse riding.
Moms for freedom, a non-profit organization whose idea of ”being committed to fighting for the survival of America” - and certainly should include one person named “Karen” – is offers to pay $ 500 for anyone who can catch teachers in New Hampshire discussing racism or sexism at school asked Seahorse: The most shy fish in the sea to be banned from teaching in schools in Williamson County, Tennessee.
The reason for the crusade? The book, which is rated for children from kindergarten to grade 2 by the American Library Association, contains an illustration of two seahorses embracing tightly and including positively scandalous passages such as: “They turn their tails together and turn gently around, changing color until they match” and “the two of them dance to sunset and then she puts her eggs in his pocket. ”
In an email to The daily animal, a representative of the Moms for Liberty chapter in Williamson County wrote that the book can be taught to children in grade eight, but not younger. Because if one thing is guaranteed to corrupt the youth, it is to have to read about seahorses turning their tails together. (Yes, it happened when a school board banned the graphic novel, mouse.)
In a controversial move, noted the Williamson County Schools Committee Seahorse: The most shy fish in the sea and six other books (including Gary Paulsen’s) Byl) for use with “instructional modifications,” while completely prohibited Step Two, a book about a 13-year-old girl with Native American heritage.
It’s all part of a larger trend across the country of politicians, school boards and parent groups such as, but not limited to, the Moms for Freedom who want more input into what children can be taught in schools.
In the most harmless forms, these books on seahorses are banned because they display “sexual content.” But books of all kinds can be targeted in this ban, including if they could, makes children “uncomfortable” about race by talking about the Civil Rights Movement or history in general, etc. And some books – like Art Spiegelman’s Pulitzer Prize winner Mouse, a graphic novel about the Holocaust, can be banned because of the depiction of “nudity” without considering the context in which the “depiction of nudity” is displayed.
Moms For Liberty requested that 31 books be removed from the curriculum, including a story about Johnny Appleseed because “the story is sad and dark” and a book about Martin Luther King Jr. because it is too divisive.
It’s fun to laugh at a group like this because they are furious about seahorses until you remember how dangerous and powerful they can actually be. And unfortunately, these types of fights fought across the country, as Moms For Liberty and similar groups fight to get books out of the classroom if they find them offensive.
We think Seahorse: The most shy fish in the sea is worth reading, and you can make your own decision. Get it right here.
