Good evening everyone:

Since I was in the mindset of sports (and love) records after my Valentine’s day note, I noticed an article about the great Afro-Puerto Rican baseball player Roberto Clemente.

Unfortunately, however, not for the reasons I was hoping. Instead, the article revolved around a theme to which I fear that we may be returning time and again as we pursue our work in cities: overweening State assertion of prerogatives over cities and local units of education.

Roberto Clemente died in a plane crash off the coast of Puerto Rico in 1972, when as he was delivering relief supplies to earthquake victims in Nicaragua. He was 38. He had retired from play with exactly 3,000 hits, four National League batting titles, 12 Gold Gloves (for best defensive player at a position), a Most Valuable Player award, two World Series championships, and 15 All-Star appearances. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame posthumously.

Clemente was outspoken – in his native Spanish – about racism and discrimination in America. He spoke without reserve about his experiences as a Black Latino navigating a sports career during the civil rights movement of the 1960’s.

The article describes a decision by the Duval (Florida) County Public Schools District to remove Roberto Clemente: Pride of the Pittsburgh Pirates by Jonah Winter and Raúl Colón from its library shelves – a big county, with Jacksonville at its center:

To be more accurate, the District voted to remove (they term it “covered” or “stored and paused for student use”) not only the Clemente biography but also one million other titles until they can determine whether the books comply with laws Governor DeSantis advocated for, and signed, stating that schools must rely on “certified media specialists” in approving those books that can be made available to students. The implementing regulations provide that books may not teach K-3 students about, among other things, gender identity and sexual orientation – and apparently systemic racism – as we’ve all read about.

So, Duval County began in January its exploration – through 50 certified media specialists – of 1.5 million books. I recognize that a month isn’t very long for these specialists to do their work, but thus far 2,800 books have been approved for use. That’s 1,497,800 books “stored and paused for student use.” Not sure exactly what the kids have to read. This could take a while, evidently.

Back to Clemente. His son recently told NBC news that his father’s biography was written expressly for the K-3 age group; it is notable that it was a “recommended read” by the School Library Journal. He also readily admits that themes of discrimination and racism are inextricably linked to his father’s career.

It does seem that the Duval folks carry a particular sensitivity to books about Latino narratives and characters – regardless of whether it is about accomplishment in baseball, music (Celia Cruz, Queen of Salsa by Veronica Chambers and Julie Maren was removed), or law (Sonia Sotomayor (Women Who Broke the Rules Series by Kathleen Krull and Angela Dominguez also got the hook).

Let’s hope that the potential poison being concocted in this particular county is diffused quickly. There is absolutely no good to come from a brewing cycle that is extended, publicly opaque, and insidious. As reprehensible as the law – and its intent – is, it’s certainly vague enough to give local decision-makers latitude to return those books to the shelves forthwith.

Rip

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