A challenge to the Bible’s presence in some of Flagler County’s public school libraries is unraveling the inconsistencies, contradictions, flaws, and arbitrariness of Flagler County’s book-challenge process.
The challenge, filed by Palm Coast resident Bob Gordon, cites 67 passages, almost all from the Old Testament and “most of” the Book of Revelation in the New. The passages, the challenge claims, are sexually explicit, sadistic, graphically violent and bigoted, and violate Florida law’s prohibition of such materials in students’ reach.
Gordon does not expect to prevail. He filed the challenge in the same spirit as similar challenges filed elsewhere in the country. The challenge, he says, is “pointing out the hypocrisy, the book banning stupidity, the flaws in the review process.”
Gordon’s challenge was filed last summer. After going through one step, it is now being reviewed by Superintendent LaShakia Moore, as she confirmed on Wednesday. “It’s at my level right now,” she said. “It’s at the district.” (The Observer’s Brent Wonroff first reported on this challenge Thursday.) Neither Moore nor the district have handled the challenge according to the highly-publicized procedures Moore herself unveiled before she was superintendent in February 2023.
At the time, Moore explained that a challenged book would first be reviewed at the school level–at the school or schools where the book was being challenged. It would be be reviewed by a committee of faculty members and residents. The committee meeting would be publicly noticed well ahead of time so anyone could attend.
That committee’s decision could be appealed, but to a district-level committee similarly made up of district staffers, faculty members and residents who would hold a previously-noticed, open meeting and vote on their decision. Moore in February was speaking to some 70 people who had turned out to be volunteer members of those book-challenge-reviewing committees. Many were appointed, many served on several such committees, with some books getting banned, some not.
At both school and district levels, the committees were responsible for explaining their rationale and decisions through a standard, detailed document that outlined numerous questions. The committee had to answer each question in writing and make that document publicly available.
None of those steps were followed in the Gordon challenge: no such school-level committee met. No community members were involved. No questionnaire was filled out.
The next step was not to be Moore: the superintendent is the third level in a challenge’s gradations. When Moore said Wednesday that the challenge was at the district level, it–according to her own plan outlined in February–should have meant that a district-level committee would review the book and generate its own answers to a questionnaire, and a vote.
The Bible never was.
It was reviewed only by an obscure “team” whose meeting was never publicized and whose members not disclosed. (The names of those who served on the committee, and the document they may have produced and submitted to the superintendent, have been requested from the district, but were not provided before this article initially published.)
Celeste Ackerman, a district-level staffer and the supervisor of K-12 media, wrote Gordon on Sept. 1 that “The team has reviewed your request of reconsideration of the Bible. Portions of the Bible are a part of our B.E.S.T. recommended reading list and cannot be challenged in this format however; [sic.] a parent may elect to not have their child read this material.”
Ackerman’s explanation is not entirely accurate. B.E.S.T. is the state Department of Education’s acronym for “Benchmarks for Excellent Student Thinking.” Around the same time that Moore was explaining Flagler County’s book-challenge process last February, the department issued a list of some 350 titles that make up the recommended reading list–novels, non-fiction works, poems, speeches, historical documents and the like. (See the full list here.)
The Bible as a whole, made up of 66 books, is not on the list. But three of the Old Testament’s books are: the Book of Esther for seventh grade, Samuel 2 for 10th grade, and the Psalms for 11th grade. The state standards don’t specify what version of the Bible is sanctioned–a significant flaw in the state’s recommendations, since Bible versions are as innumerable as they are different one from the other. (See examples at the foot of the article.)
“My challenge did not address just ‘portions’ of the Bible,” Gordon wrote Moore on Sept. 6. “It claimed that the extent of the book’s problematic content was such that it rose to the level of holistic inappropriateness for the numerous reasons proffered in my Reconsideration of Materials request and its addendum. And the mention of a reading list of ‘portions of the Bible’ has no particular relevance given that seemingly those could be challenged as well.” In a parenthesis, he added: “It was curious to note that a Biblical ‘portion’ on the Flagler recommended reading list was the ‘Book Of Psalms.’ Take a look at Psalm 137:9” That verse reads: “Blessed the one who seizes your children and smashes them against the rock: the children represent the future generations, and so must be destroyed if the enemy is truly to be eradicated.”
When asked about the lack of committee review, Moore’s answer reflected the convoluted, at times intractable methods the district is applying to its challenges, especially since the Legislature further complicated matters with a new law last spring. But that new law made challenges easier, broadening the scope of what may be challenged. It did not change local methods in place to address the challenges.
“Before we go to a committee, our media specialists, they are the first line of defense per se,” Moore said. “They have to determine: this is going against–they’re saying that it’s sexual content and all of that in there. There are statutes related to that. So we can’t send that out to a committee to make a determination. First, our media specialists have to make a determination around the material first, and so we’re in the process of working through what that looks like as we adjust to the new statutes that were approved last session.”
Based on several of the passages cited by Gordon, there would appear to be little question that the content violates the 2023 law’s more expansive definition of inappropriate materials.
On September 9, Shannon Rambow, who heads the local chapter of the extremist group known as Moms for Liberty, wrote Moore in light of the new law to note that “The bill requires that specific materials subject to an objection on the basis that the materials are pornographic, are harmful to minors, or describe or depict sexual activity must be removed from circulation at the school where the objection was made, within 5 days of the school district’s receipt of the objection, until the completion of the objection process.”
Moms for Liberty objections led to the removal of numerous books last school year on that basis, though the group never filed objections to any parts of the Bible. Rambow claimed that “liberals are trying to go around the law to keep pornography and sexually explicit content in schools,” though it appears the group might use tactics of its own to keep the Bible in schools. Like Gordon’s challenge, The Rambow email underscores the district’s conflicting, and conflicted, approaches to book challenges.
But it prompted a response from Moore that revealed that even books committees voted to keep on shelves last school year have been removed, and that removals have been more sweeping that publicly known: “We have spent several days and hours complying with logging of classroom libraries and removing books and other materials that are in violation of the new language,” Moore wrote Rambow. “We have already removed books that were retained through book review committees in previous years. With the volume of books in our libraries we are using many strategies to identify books that are in violation of the current law/rule including monitoring books that are being removed in other counties.”
There was no word about the Bible.
“The hard part about the Bible,” Moore said in an interview Wednesday, “it was attempted to be challenged once and the decision was already made about that challenge to keep in, that it was not challengeable. But statutes have changed. And so we’re moving through that process.” She said an added complication about the Bible is its structure, not being a single book: “It’s not just material that is self selected, but portions of it are included in courses as well, different courses of study,” the superintendent said.
To Gordon, his challenge is getting a response that is neither surprising, given the local school board’s makeup, nor tenable under the law.
“The school district’s approach so far has clearly been to attempt to hold the Bible to a different standard and in a manner not supported by policy or statute and obviously by equitableness,” Gordon wrote. “Applying this special treatment to a particular religious text and claiming it is beyond reproach or immune to challenge may be fine for a church, but not a public school. To do so is more akin to a theocracy than a democracy.”
See the challenged passages here.
The Bible’s Numerous, Different Versions
There is no single Bible. In English alone there are innumerable translations and versions, some centuries old, some contemporary, each presenting content with smaller or greater differences. Here’s one example of those differences, taking a passage about Lot and his incestuous daughters, from Genesis.
In the original King James version, the passage is rendered in the kind of allusive, poetic language beyond the comprehension of most young readers with a mind for titillation:
And the firstborn said unto the younger, Our father is old, and there is not a man in the earth to come in unto us after the manner of all the earth: Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father. And they made their father drink wine that night: and the firstborn went in, and lay with her father; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose. And it came to pass on the morrow, that the firstborn said unto the younger, Behold, I lay yesternight with my father: let us make him drink wine this night also; and go thou in, and lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father.
The Names of God Bible is more direct, with stylistic hints often found in young adult fiction:
The older daughter said to the younger one, “Our father is old. No men are here. We can’t get married as other people do. Let’s give our father wine to drink. Then we’ll go to bed with him so that we’ll be able to preserve our family line through our father.” That night they gave their father wine to drink. Then the older one went to bed with her father. He didn’t know when she came to bed or when she got up. The next day the older daughter said to the younger one, “I did it! Last night I went to bed with my father. Let’s give him wine to drink again tonight. Then you go to bed with him so that we’ll be able to preserve our family line through our father.”
The New Century Version is more explicit still, this time sounding a bit more like a Kaiser Family Foundation brief:
One day the older daughter said to the younger, “Our father is old. Everywhere on the earth women and men marry, but there are no men around here for us to marry. Let’s get our father drunk and have sexual relations with him. We can use him to have children and continue our family.” That night the two girls got their father drunk, and the older daughter went and had sexual relations with him. But Lot did not know when she lay down or when she got up. The next day the older daughter said to the younger, “Last night I had sexual relations with my father. Let’s get him drunk again tonight so you can go and have sexual relations with him, too. In this way we can use our father to have children to continue our family.”
ban the GOP says
Since the repubs want to ban books the bible should be at the top of banned list. Make sure they arent in public libraries either. dont want to indocrinate kids remember. Adolf would be super proud of racist ron.
James says
OMG enough is enough. Someone will find fault in everything if you look hard enough or are that bored you have nothing better to do.
Mary says
Well, you don’t have to look very hard to find pornography in the Bible. These Christian zealots are full of hypocrisy. You need to remember that the Bible says that you reap what you sow. Eventually, their plan will backfire and the Bible will be banned from all public places.
Deborah Coffey says
Ditto.
Toto says
Well I guess it comes down to keeping with the standards set by our hypocrites who penned this bill last year. The Bible indeed has much violence, sex, homosexuality etc. and the bottom line is that it’s about our human nature. We as humans are faced with choice’s multiple times a day. We can choose what’s right or wrong. Keeping our youth in the dark about things of our nature is wrong. That’s what this group of lunatics (M4L) has gotten wrong. If they’re holding to these new “standards/ignorance “ then the Bible should be included in the ban. You can’t cherry pick what can be exempt from the the guidelines. Mr Gordon has presented many valid verses that qualify this book to be banned. You cannot say it’s under a different standard.
Dennis C Rathsam says
This was a useless waste of time! This is the bible, the cornerstone of Christianity. This is a not just a book, millions & millions of people read the bible daily its a way of life. To bring it up in this way is just wrong. God loves everyone, even the fool that wrote his jiberish.
Concerned Mom says
Hypocrite! “Not just a book,” sure, it’s a book filled with violence, sex, rape, incest… need I really go on? It has no business being in *public* school libraries!
Nancy N. says
Millions of people read the Quran every day too, and it’s also the foundation of a major religion. I somehow doubt that it meeting that standard would convince you of the appropriateness of it being on the shelves in local school libraries. Because in the end, for conservatives, this isn’t about the book’s content at all but about Christian supremacy.
Someone says
What did you expect would happen when the book bans started? Extremism isn’t the way to go!!! There is extremist on both sides. Let’s see who win!!!
JustBeNice says
If you are going to challenge the Bible, then you must also challenge the Koran, Torah and every other religious book. I think they all should be exempt from the school district’s challenge procedure. Keep them in school libraries.
Sherry says
@jbn. . . you do understand that all those religious books were actually written by mortal humans, right? Why should any of them be “exempt” from (ridiculous) laws that have books from “other” authors banned?
Just as “no person” should be above the law. . . “no book” should be above the law!
Don’t get me wrong. . . the banning of books is absolutely one of the first steps on the road to Fascism! DeSantis is taking away the “freedom” of education and independent thought in Florida! Extreme Right Wing Republican Christian “indoctrination” will be proven if the bible is not subjected to the same law as other books!
God says
Leave it to Flagler Lies to also want the Bible removed. You are the devil himself
FlaglerLive says
God: Please comply with our comment policy. Thank you.
Laurel says
God: Wow! Nice of you to show up! Sometimes, I think people like to talk for you. They know all there is to know about you. They know your mind. That’s rather egotistical, don’t you think? Did you appoint them to speak for you?
Well, we’ve got a lot to talk about. So, why do you have so much sex and violence in your book? When did intolerance become okay with you? That puzzles me as your son stated otherwise. It’s all very confusing, yet accepted without question.
So, does your book promote the suppression of others to think freely? Is it meant to stifle creativity? No, I don’t think that’s it. So why do so many of your people think they should stifle freedom? Why are they so intolerant? Why do they try to control others? Why are they so afraid?
I’m open to hear you.
Jim says
You can’t have a review policy and ignore it when it is convenient. When “Moms for Liberty” object the book is “systematically “ reviewed. So it should be with the Bible.Personally I think the Bible should be allowed in the school systems and I also think that other books that may be controversial should be there as well. This is how young minds are provided the opportunity to think about subjects they can absorb to form their opinions and widen their perspective. To conclude that if a young person reads a murder novel that this will lead to them concluding murder is okay is ludicrous but that is the apparent thinking of the book banners. That is just sad.
In any case the school system should follow their own rules in every case.
Michael Cocchiola says
The Bible is the most pornographic book(s) ever written. It must be restricted to churches and home reading. Not our schools.
Laurel says
Michael: I disagree. When I was in high school, I had completed all regular courses and what was left was all art classes, which I loved, and one Bible Study class. I so looked forward to the upcoming year, though at that time, I was an atheist. Can you imagine? Art and spirituality for classes? Wow, the mother load. As fate would have it, we moved and I had to go to a different school, and had to go back to the same old classes I already had.
My point being that we should be exposed to different ideas, and that doesn’t mean we must accept them. It will help us to understand others.
Laurel says
I never read the Bible, so that little tidbit above about the Bible’s different versions, left me speechless! Incest? Y’all are good with incest? Y’all are complaining about penguins? Let me take a breath here.
I am so sick and tired of the crap DeSantis and his pea-brained minions are putting our state through. This nonsense has got to stop. That anyone supports this, and actually listens to these small minded women (come on ladies, you are embarrassing the rest of us women) and pay any attention to them, is what should be the real concern. Don’t answer them. Ignore them. Stop giving them any power as they have power for the first time in their minor lives, and are sucking it up.
Enough.
Deb says
Team Republican rolls on contradiction. As in, “Liberty for Just-Us.”
Atwp says
Remove the Bible, burn the Bible, Gods word is truth and will never be destroyed. His Word is forever written. We cannot and will not destroy Hus Holy Word. Thank God for is Holy Word. What he says will be . We will not stop or erase his Holy Word.
TheIDGE says
Man created god
Atwp says
Idle if man created God, who created man?
Been There says
Nature. Randomly.
Laurel says
Atwp: Relax. It’s not about getting rid of the Bible, which is man’s interpretation of God’s intentions, it’s about not suppressing learning. We should not be hypocritical about it though.
Justbob says
It is a book that for so many is strongly believed to be the ultimate moral guidance witten by a deity that is all-knowing, all powerful and infallible. ..and never to be questioned…and as such it becomes downright dangerous when it calls for and actually promotes the killing of homosexuals and proclaims they will burn in hell for eternity. How could any school board not find that problematic reading for school kids? What if this perceived word of an infallible god becomes a Biblical justified call for action and a student bullies, beats up or even kills the gay kid in school? And it must be horrific for a kid struggling with his or her sexual identity to be told that burning in hell for eternity will be what awaits them.
Even if our school board decides to discount the rape, incest, prostitution, beastiality, vengeful graphic violence, genocide, infanticide and science misinformation and tries to hold the Bible to some different standard, the particular passages specific to homosexuality alone would qualify this book as completely unacceptable.
The dude says
Does it contain prohibited content?
Then it needs to be banned, regardless of people’s emotional attachment to it, or justifications as to why it should be excluded from the law.
The law is the law.
Laurel says
Well, I never thought I would be defending the Bible! Life is full of surprises!
I’m not for the banning of books about homosexual penguins or the Bible. To do either, is hypocritical. We don’t want to be the same hypocrites that the Moms for (supposed) Liberty. We should want our children to be free to learn about all kinds of people and all kinds of life lessons. I totally get why the people who are suing DeSantis’ foolish government: hypocrisy.
Nancy N says
Nobody is actually trying to get the bible banned. Attempts like this are an example of the tactic known as “malicious compliance” when you comply with an instruction or policy in a way that creates an outcome that is counter to what was intended by the power that instituted the policy, in order to undermine that policy. So in the case of challenges to the bible, doing so is designed to point out “if you want to have policies like this they have to apply equally and that means they can’t just affect the books you DON’T like.”
ban the GOP says
well then they shouldnt go banning book lightly. if the bible stays then so should the satanic bible, the quran, gita, torah, tripitaka and any other religious text. Im against book banning as well but we live in facist country and they ban any book they dont like without recourse so something must be done. I will not be held to your religious beliefs and neither will my kids. gop are criminals and need to held accountable for their sabatoge of anything that helps people.
Laurel says
Um, Nancy, I got it.
Sherry says
Gordon does not expect to prevail. He filed the challenge in the same spirit as similar challenges filed elsewhere in the country. The challenge, he says, is “pointing out the hypocrisy, the book banning stupidity, the flaws in the review process.”
Hooray Bob Gordon! GOOD FOR YOU!
BIG Neighbor says
I thought the point here was to argue the credibility of our process. This was obviously a well played hand. Having worked for many years on federal contracts, I use to see this kind of tactic all the time. When interdependent teams on the shop floor wanted advantage over another, they broke production flow by citing program requirements that contradict tribal practices. Sad that we’re “supporting” our educators by distracting them from doing what they were hired for.
MaggieM says
Let me see if I got this straight. Books are banned because of gay sex content, but a “holy” book advocating the killing of gays is OK?