A conservative activist in Florida is attempting to ban a title in the Arthur children’s book series. Clay County school district member Bruce Friedman filed a challenge to Marc Brown’s 1989 children’s book Arthur’s Birthday on July 12. Friedman alleges that the book discusses subject matter that he deems inappropriate for young children.
Arthur’s Birthday tells the story of Arthur the aardvark who celebrates his birthday on the same day as another classmate. In the book, Arthur receives a glass bottle as part of a birthday present from his friend Francine the monkey at one point in the story. This bottle is labeled with the words “Francine’s Spin the Bottle Game.” According to the challenge published by the Daily Beast, Friedman’s ban request was made to “protect children.”
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“It is not appropriate to discuss ‘spin the bottle’ with elementary school children,” he wrote in capitalized letters in his letter. “This book is found in all/almost all [district schools]! ‘Spin the bottle’ is not okay for K-5 kids,” Friedman added. Regarding what could result from a student using the materials, he wrote, “Damaged souls.”
Terri Dennis, a district spokesperson, told the Daily Beast the book was among 45 titles awaiting “oversight committee review.” Friedman is the president of the Florida chapter of No Left Turn in Education, a right-wing group that campaigns against critical race theory in education. As described on its website, the group’s mission is to “use all forms of media to expose the radical indoctrination in K-12 education, its perpetrators, the resources and methods employed and the resulting harm it inflicts.”
Friedman said last December that he had developed “a list of over 3,600 titles that I believe have concerning content [including] porn, critical race theory, social-emotional learning, [and] fluid gender,” according to Popular Information. Based on the information he provided to the outlet, he said he identified the books by “scouring the internet” and finding titles challenged elsewhere in the country. Friedman’s challenge to Arthur’s Birthday has been rebuffed by Florida Freedom to Read, who says: “The entire book is about being inclusive of all friends and not only inviting boys or girls (based on your gender) to your birthday party.”
During the last few years, Florida’s public education system has become a contentious battleground where conservative lawmakers have passed legislation targeting various minorities and marginalized communities across the state. Aside from the “don’t say gay” ban in schools across all grades and a ban on diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives in public universities, Florida’s governor Ron DeSantis has also banned the study of African American culture in high schools. Earlier this month, the state board of education updated controversial new standards to include the claim that some Black people benefited from slavery.
