A Miami elementary school has come under fire after a parent expressed outrage over a permission slip sent home for a book listening event featuring a Black author. Chuck Walters, a parent at the Coral Way K-8 Bilingual Center, took to social media to share his concerns about the school form, which sought parental permission for students to participate in an activity where a book written by an African American would be read aloud.
Key Takeaway
A Miami elementary school faced criticism after a parent raised concerns about a permission slip for a book event featuring a Black author. The controversy highlighted the intersection of education, parental consent, and Black History Month activities.
Parent’s Outrage
Chuck Walters posted a photo of the permission slip, questioning the necessity of giving permission for his child to participate in an event featuring a book written by an African American author. He expressed his concerns to the superintendent of Miami-Dade Schools and used the hashtag #BlackHistoryMonth to highlight the timing of the event.
School’s Response
Miami-Dade County Public Schools responded to the controversy by acknowledging the confusion caused by the description of the event. They clarified that the permission slips were sent home in compliance with State Law, which requires parental consent for school-authorized education-related activities involving guest speakers.
Black History Month Connection
The school confirmed that the book event was indeed tied to Black History Month, and similar concerns over permission slips for Black History Month lessons have been raised by other parents and educators. The requirement for parental permission for activities outside the immediate curriculum is attributed to a law passed by Florida legislators and Governor Ron DeSantis in November.
