Florida School Requires Parental Consent for Students To Participate In Read Aloud By African American Author

Due to state law, a Florida school district is requiring parents’ consent to allow their children to participate in a book reading by an African American author.

According to the form, the “read-aloud” is scheduled for Tuesday to have certain guests, like firemen/doctors/artists, attend the event.

“I had to give permission for this or else my child would not participate,” said parent Charles Walter, whose daughter attends Coral Way K–8 in Miami.

Walter claimed that after seeing it, he verbally agreed with the teacher to let Eva participate, but he was informed that his daughter would not be allowed to do so if the signed form was not returned.

“My daughter didn’t even mention it to me,” Walter said. “She didn’t want me to sign it because she thought it would be boring.”