>

Ask florida how much oversight the USG is actually directing their way.
Fowler said the events were canceled after “a parent at one of the elementary schools voiced concern regarding social media posts made by Mr. Barnes.” He did not clarify what the posts included or what made them controversial.
“I wasn’t told anything about a parental complaint. My socials are all about my books, events, children, and of course I talk about Black history facts and things happening in the world, but everything is factual,” Barnes said.
A CNN review of the author’s social media posts found they predominantly feature photos of his family, writing, and music he enjoys, as well as comments about news events and political issues including police brutality, the January 6 insurrection and the presidential election. >

I’m guessing J6 could have really pissed them off, but in reality, it sounds like his existing as Black and uncowed would be enough. >

Guy: mans blackly
Alabama: “and I took that personally.” >

70% of Birmingham is black. This isn't an Alabama thing. It's a racists thing. >

Hi, Birminghamite here. Grew up in Hoover (The city this happened in) and moved to central Birmingham because of how much of a shit hole Hoover is. Hoover is not Birmingham, Hoover is 70% white, 17% Black (up from 7% black 20 years ago). Hoover is a suburb for people who refuse to live in Birmingham. Hoover is filled with a special kind of racists, homephobes, and xenophobes that can only be found in Southern Suburbs, and it's despicable. Trump's presidency managed to empower all of these quietly racist pieces of trash in my cities backyard into speaking their hate out into the world. It has become unbearable in the past 6 years from where you would be immediately ostracized for sharing your racist asinine thoughts, to now it being the norm in these places where all of the formerly quiet racists have grouped together and been given an undeserved voice.
I've been keeping up with this story since it happened, as I have friends whose children were immediately affected by it and were looking forward to Derrick Barnes visits. This is very on brand for Hoover, and it further serves as a disappointment on a national stage. Do not mistake Hoover for Birmingham. >

Also grew up in Birmingham.
Would also add that Hoover might have the fewest racial problems of the 7A schools districts around Birmingham, and that's not a compliment. >

I went to Hoover schools for most of my life, but I was in Irondale for a year. The stark contrast between the two blows my mind. I wasn't troubled by being in the minority all of the sudden, I was raised Muslim and was used to being one of the only white people in the mosque, but what struck me the most was all relative to wealth inequality. I did note most of the troubled students where white, where in Hoover it was the opposite. I think that pervasive notions of racial disparity affect children in ways we don't give credit to.  Celebrating these differences and appreciating the similarities, as this author is trying to do, strike me as very important for the healthy development as kids. At the end of the day though, it's still peanuts compared to poverty. >

The school district says that some parents were upset about some social media posts the author made, but they won't elaborate as to what those posts were? That's bull shit. >

I used to listen to npr but I just can’t anymore because they insist on normalizing crap like this by not questioning and taking it at face value as not to appear partisan. You will never hear about the growing facism issue we’re dealing with from their platform. >

I hear your concern, but that's why we have left wing media outlets who don't try to be non-partisan at all. 
You saying, "I don't like this media outlet because they aren't an unapologetic echo chamber and they try to be a tiny bit non-partisan", is a very very bad thing to want.
You want a world where only one view is acceptable, and even saying there is another view (not even supporting it, but just saying it exists) is a damnable offense.
NPR is too far right because they take the news at face value and let their viewers think it through on their own?
That's a wild view my friend. >

These are scary times. The vast majority of news orgs should operate in the middle. Don't push opinion pieces, and stick to fact based reporting. That means "so and so happened today", and cut it right there. Not "so and so happened today, so that means this and that" . Blah, blah, blah. Once news orgs inject personal opinions into their work, they lose their objectivity. It should be up to the viewer to interpret the effects of the stories. Otherwise it just leads to hive mind. Bring back the Fairness Doctrine! >

When I say in the middle, I mean non sensationalized, factual reporting. In the middle of the hyperbole of both sides. And yes, both sides sensationalize their views for the almighty dollar. Not every outfit, but more often than not. I'm a classical liberal, and I can see the faults with the left. Not being able to acknowledge it is part of the problem. >

Do you know what "classical liberal" means? In modern politics that puts you firmly on the right. So of course your take on the "middle" makes sense. >

These districts really need to say what the parent claimed the offensive post was or STFU. 
I don’t know why school districts hide behind racist parents like that. 
Or alternatively, the school district can admit “well a parent complained generically about a black guy’s social media…and without any investigation or clarification, we decided that was good enough for us, so we cancelled his event”
And CNN ought to hold this superintendent’s feet to fire a lot harder as well:

Dee Fowler, the district superintendent, cited contract issues and a parent’s “concern” regarding Barnes’ social media posts, he told CNN. >


I don’t know why school districts hide behind racist parents like that.

I do, and its because they are racists too. >

Remember that footage/picture of that 6 year old black girl who went to the first integrated school in Alabama? All those younger people freaking the fuck out so much that the girl had to have armed security escort her inside?
Those people are now the age of the ones in charge.
Anyone who says racism is behind us is lying to themselves. >

Are you referring to Ruby Bridges?
That was Louisiana, not Alabama. 
Alabama did have those issues, but let's make sure we're matching up those photos with the correct events. The one from Alabama that typically gets mentioned is the college students attending University of Alabama, where George Wallace stood in front of the doors. >

George Wallace, who was governor all the way until 1987. That George Wallace, right? >

The same George Wallace who ran his wife, knew she had cancer and didn't tell her, and sacrificed her for his ambitions— then later shuffled his kids off to relatives. 
Then he made a comeback and ran a circus (which Richard Scrushy took notes from) pretending to be super duper sorry for all the racism and got voted in again with the help of a black vote that his apologists love to point out as if it makes all of his previous shit any better. 
That George Wallace. >


Declaring the Preservation of Intellectual Freedom and Non-Discrimination in Alabama’s Public Schools

This is some 1984 level shit. >

It doesn't even make a good acronym. I fear that's a dying art. >

DPIFNDAPS. It rolls. Off the tongue. >

I mean...it does tho. Good ol' duhpifindaps >

Sounds like a name bluey and bingo would name themselves while playing a game.    
Meryfindor, Sir Gallahop, Dronigan, Hecuba, Diddums...
Dapiffindaps fits right in. >

One single parent complained and they cancelled it. What a fucking joke >

"Cancel culture run amok!" Or does this not count for some reason…? >

The hypocrisy is the point. >

When I was in school, the school didn't give two shits about what the parents thought or wanted.  Nowadays everything somehow hinges on the opinion on one racist conservative parent.
That's assuming this alleged parent even exists. >


That's assuming this alleged parent even exists.

DING DING DING - we have a winner! >

Cancelled because a parent expressed 'concerns' about unspecified social posts.  Thats a low bar right there >

More like, oh shit we got caught being racist, we better make up an excuse. >

Ah, conservatives...scream themselves blue in the face about cAnCeL CuLtUrE, literally cancel someone slated to visit three different schools due to a single parent complaint over some social media posts. Stay classy you racist fucks. >

I mean, one of the first real high profile cases of "cancel culture" I remember witnessing was the Dixie Chicks.  Spoke out against Bush's war in Iraq, and suddenly they were persona non grata. >

The history of cancel culture is overwhelmingly due to conservatives.
They tried canceling The Beatles and most other bands/performers including Elvis, Billie Holiday, and just about anyone who was involved with the founding of rock and roll. 
The comics code where writers had to make it to where heroes never killed was due to conservative backlash to early comics.  
They went after early video games to the point that the ratings system was invented and many bans took place, and many rules were placed onto designers. 
You can't show a female nipple anywhere in society or conservatives freak out. 
It goes on and on. >

Don't forget the satanic panic! D&D is bad!
Now most of those fuckers LOVE Stranger Things. What a world. >

And there’s still cognitive dissonance there. My mom loves Stranger Things. But shortly after it came out, I started getting into Critical Role and my mom had a cow, despite me already being an adult. >

Dude there's hordes of people afraid of Ouija boards. It's a board game made by Hasbro for fucks sake >

I once took one to a famous, old suicide spot on a bridge, lit candles and tried to summon a spirit.
Absolutely fucking nothing. I want my money back! >

Haha yes.
I've always wanted to make one of those ghost hunting shows except just show up to a "haunted" place and have nothing happen for a half hour a week. >

Those shows are the biggest cock block. SUSPENSE FOR AN ENTIRE EPISODE, then a mouse farts. >

And then they freak the fuck out like, WHAT WAS THAT!?!?!,
And I'm over here saying, probably your producer... >

Hoover High School has always been this way. I remember when we’d play them and their players would call ours the N word and other awful things. Don’t be fooled. They were looking for a reason to cancel this. >

Why would they schedule him and agree to pay him $9000+ for showing up if they didn't want him to begin with? >

Racists aren't logical.
They don't have a grand vision other than hate and cruelty... >

The South’s March to fascism is getting really old. >

God forbid you try pointing it out to them. They take gaslighting to a disgusting new height when you  do. >

Why is it always a single fucking parent that causes shit like this to happen? >

“However, Fowler, the school district superintendent, told CNN the issue is not about the content of Barnes’ books, which Fowler said are found in libraries and classrooms across the district, but posts he had made on social media.”
But I bet they love the social media posts of Trump, MTG, Boebert, and January 6 types. >

The racists are gaining ground again. >

Time to push them back where they belong. >

Six feet under? >

School district: "It wasn't because of some parent's complaint, we cancelled because we didn't have a contract."
Author's agent: "No contract?  You've already paid us $500 for travel!"
It's really insulting when people can't even be bothered to come up with a good lie. >

Conservatives demonstrated that they don't need to do so to get away with racism. >

This would never have had to happen if Obama had just displayed his long form birth certificate when he started campaigning for President. /s >

Republicans: WHY DO DEMOCRATS ALWAYS USE ANONYMOUS SOURCES NOBODY CAN VERIFY, ITS SUCH BULLSHIT AND FAKE NEWS!
Also Republicans: A parent complained about this black man's social media posts, but refuses to say what offensive things he said or show us proof he said them...enh, his word is good enough for us, cancel the Black History Month event.  Verify it for ourselves? Nah, sounds like Marxism and the missus is making Mac n' Cheese tonight, so I don't wanna be late getting home. >

Alabama; first alphabetically, last in every other fuckin thing. >

And this happened in one of the better areas of Alabama. Parts of Hoover have a lot of money, and it has some actually good schools. >

Not going to say Hoover doesn’t have money and pretty good schools but, as someone from Birmingham, I would consider Hoover the most racist of the major Birmingham metro areas. >

Absolutely ditto. I left Hoover and moved to Birmingham and I'm never going back there. From the shitty police, to the racist Karen's, to the MAGAs all around. 10 years ago Hoover felt like living in a progressive district, since Trump the racists have come out of the woodwork and now it's intolerable. I could deal with Hoover being right wing 10+ years ago,  but since Trump it's just filled with hate. God I miss making fun of Mitt Romney... >

It never makes any sense to me when people act like the only kids allowed to read or be interested in books that focus on minority characters are people who look like them. I get that representation is important but I think kids should be encouraged to read a wide variety of books as long as they're age appropriate since it exposes kids to a wider depth of experiences, which I think helps teach them to be more understanding of people with different experiences than their own. 
I'm white and grew up reading books about all kinds of people who didn't look like me because good books are good books regardless of the characters' race. I loved Walter Dean Myers' books and no one at my conservative, majority White school had a problem with me doing a book report on "Monster." A few of my classmates ended up checking the book out of the library afterwards and I'm glad the school district didn't block them from doing so over some made up reason.
I never got why anyone would try to limit what kids read to only books with experiences and characters who were similar to them. One of the joys of reading is escaping into an experience unlike your own and learning about different perspectives. >

They're not even acting anymore. >

The same people claiming statues are history literally trying to erase any history they don’t like. >

I mean it tracks when you understand what those statues and the Lost Cause actually were. And effort to erase history by people claiming to “correct the record and preserve history!” It was all a giant lie. Erecting shrines to false heroes and false histories is erasing history. The Simpsons even had an episode on this where Lisa finds out the statue of the town founder is a fake story.
It’s why the same people who burn books almost always love putting up statues. >

I thought republicans hated cancel culture >

Their definition of "cancel culture" is "I got in trouble for saying the N word on social media." >

"Why can they say it but we can't?? It's not fair and racist!" >

Black Americans need to remember who is doing this to them and vote in masses before they take that right away from them also. >

They do. And they consistently bail the rest of us out each election. >

Hoover? Hoover’s gotten progressively black over the past 10-15 years. I’m amazed they’d have the balls to try something like this. >

Looks like it’s biting them in the ass 😂 >

During our 15 or so years as Alabama residents, my daughter and I drove to Hoover from our little place in Homewood to admire the mansions and sprawling homes with their meticulously manicured lawns, and beautiful front lawn, stone water fountains.  Police began trailing us on our second visit.
Nowhere near the constrained, much wiser person I am now, I gave him the business when he finally approached to question us.  Fortunately, a kind, older, White woman stepped in and defended us, and it only took her word for the officer to continue about his business.  He never bothered us again that day.  The Black "help" tending the lawn of one of the homes near where our confrontation had taken place warned us to be careful while sightseeing in Hoover.  They said the police nor many of the residents took kindly to Blacks being in "their" neighborhood.
I sold a bunch-a wolf tickets advertising what I'd do if somebody dared to get "bout it" with us, but the encounter left me so deeply angry, hurt, and offended that we never went back again.
I haven't been back to Hoover since that day many years ago, but experiencing what we experienced that long ago, I have no doubt that the bigoted and brazen behavior of its residents has become unbearable.  And the reputation of Hoover police was always notorious, so I can only imagine what it must be like now with all the current rhetoric validating the entitlement of so many who live there.   
BEAUTIFUL place; horrible, horrible people. >

Once again, thank you Alabama for making Missouri schools look better by comparison. >

It’s crazy how Conservatives don’t even pretend, don’t even hide their overt racism. 
America really hasn’t moved on from its roots has it? >

As the husband of an English teacher in the south: it’s bad. It will spread. Send help. >

Well certainly the "free speech warriors" and other marionettes drafted into the right wing culture wars will be up in arms at this gross abrogation of freedom of speech.  Right?
Nah of course not.
I'm a library clerk, we proudly carry his books at ours and several other branches.  If your library carries them, check them out!  If they don't, tell your librarians they need to place an order (our library even has an online form you can fill out to request we buy materials).  The fight against this kind of foolishness is most effective when fought on several fronts: Put pressure on the school board, on elected representatives, raise a stink about it, push your local public libraries to buy his book and support other authors of color.  Make the school board know how much you despise this decision.  Make every school board session painful for them until they relent.  You can't play nice-y nice with this kind of cowardice. >

Sad his I am Every Good Thing is so beautiful and important for kids. >

Buying it! This guy needs to be supported. >

I am so fucking glad my brain at least somewhat works. These people are absolutely brain dead >

I bet ten crisp dollars that they schedule a white history month this year. You know, for inclusion. >

I'll take your $10 >

Let this be an important lesson kids: Some adults are fucking terrible. 
You’re gonna learn that when you grow up and when you realize someone is fucking terrible, you cut them out of your life completely. 
Block hate. >

This is the difference between progressives and racists.
Progressives cancel ypu for being racist.
Racists cancel you for being a race other than white.
But yeah both sides and left wokism ree ree ree >

Sherman didn't do enough. Had he gone forward and kept burning down the south, we wouldn't have this problem >

An Italian said something maybe controversial but most likely not, cancel Columbus Day every year just Incase. >

All these people who can't read sure do care a whole lot about what books are available in schools. >

The way its written, it seemed like his publicist and the contact at the school got into a spat and the school decided to go with someone else. >

That would be great if they had another author come to replace him. But they didn't. They canceled last minute in a very busy month for the offer. They had a contract, he was given an advance, but he was canceled due to a single comment from a single parent. Now these kids have no one.
I was a child in the Hoover city schools, we had Coretta Scott King come to speak to our school when we were in Kindergarten. It's something I'll never forget and was very grateful for. These kids won't get anything like that now, they won't remember the knowledge of an elder who wants the best for them, they won't remember someone important coming to tell them they matter. It's a damn shame because a lot of these kids need it. >


They had a contract

This differs from what the article says. In fact, the article I read states that they did not have said contract. >

No, the article states that the school board claimed an issue with the contract, whereas the representative shows evidence of their contract. It seems to be the school board blatantly lying, which in my experience, is very in line with Hoover School Boards. >

What evidence of this contract does he show? >

For instance, the payment for travel expenses. Why would they be paying them before the contract is signed? >

I'm not invested enough to go back and forth on this, but we make deposits and earnest payments all the time to lock in the service while the details are ironed out. At no point does he say that there was a contract. He simply says that there were emails and a travel payment. He uses that payment as evidence that an agreement was in place, he does not provide or reference a contract. >

As an educator, I hate when schools or citizens call for banning an author for what they said online. I get banning them if they got arrested for some horrible crime like if a children's book author got arrested for doing something inappropriate with kids, but other than that I feel that books should be judged separately from the authors who wrote them.
I grew up loving Harry Potter books and hate that J.K. Rowling opening her big mouth online ruined the franchise for so many people who otherwise could have kept enjoying the books. I know so many kids who got into reading just because they liked those books, and I hate that now I can't make any references to them in class because I don't want any of my Trans students to feel uncomfortable or think I agree with Rowling's views. It's so hard to get kids interested in reading with all the online distractions that it's a shame when people feel they need to close off avenues of reading for kids because of an author spouting off about unrelated issues on Twitter.
It is nice that the Gofundme raised so much and showed that most parents in that community don't agree with the parent who brought up "concerns" or the school district's decision. >

And to make it worse they couldn't find anything offensive in his tweets. >

Nina Simone said it best:  "Alabama Goddamn!!" >

Every day I think the shithole south should just secede. We can anex Florida and take Orlando/Disney, the space coast, and Miami by force. >

Lol oh no. Alabama who woulda thought they’d not like black history month. >

It would be nice if these articles would quote the relevant social media posts that were complained about. I'm tired of articles saying the person made a slur, insensitive comment, or verbal attack without saying what the person said. 
I'm sure his posts were pretty innocuous, but who knows, maybe the parent was right to complain(most likely not). >

Did you even read the article? The school district itself doesn't even know what social media posts the alleged parent was referring to. The article also says this:

A CNN review of the author’s social media posts found they predominantly feature photos of his family, writing, and music he enjoys, as well as comments about news events and political issues including police brutality, the January 6 insurrection and the presidential election. >

Black history is American history. Enough with the race wars >

I wonder how long it'll be before Canada starts accepting Black American refugees? There's already a petition circulating to accept trans refugees. >

Speaking of that - please, if you can, sign it >

“We are a transracial family, so when we found out Derrick Barnes was coming, we immediately cleared our schedule, asked the librarian if family can come, it was a very exciting, well-known event. It’s a rare opportunity for your child to get in a public school, so losing that was disappointing, hurtful, and frustrating,” Dorough, whose son is Black, told CNN.
Transracial means they identify as a different race, correct? >


"adjective. involving or between two or more racial groups"

It means their family is made up of more than one race. >

That would be multiracial wouldn’t it? Wikipedia defines transracial as those who identify as a race different than their biological ancestry. >

I’ve never seen that term used outside of the Rachel Dolezal types. 
I’d personally still stick with multiracial as it fits what I think they’re trying to say. A family that adopts a child of different race is by definition multi (more than one) racial. >

Never change Alabama - never change from the racist pack of bigoted swine poop you've been for over 150 years. It suits you by now. >

Im not surprised, its Alabama. They are racist af over there. >

Oh my god, can you imagine with Betsy DeVos would have done to public schools if you got what you wanted???? >

What stuff? Surely you've got a link or picture. The school couldn't even know what the posts said and walked back their reasoning.
Pretty sure this was just racist pieces of shit being racist pieces of shit. >


Not everybody wants to see that stuff 24/7.

Lol then don't look at it. And again, the district isn't even sticking with that story. But sure that's totally the reason why. >

Holy fuck, you're delusional. >

I keep asking this every time, can we either kick Alabama out of the USA or at least out of the NCAA until they replace the shitsacks running that state? >

Do you have any idea what that would mean for all the children, poor people, disabled people, people of color, LGBTQ+, non-Christians, etc. who may not even be able to leave Alabama? I don't want to leave them subject to Alabaman law without US oversight.
Even if we somehow managed to accept everyone who wanted to leave, any new babies born in Alabama would end up subject to their law. We'd be creating another backwards country of authoritarian extremists. The world doesn't need any more of those.