Florida school bans poem read at Biden’s inauguration as concerns increase about state’s growing restrictions

Published

3 years ago

May 24, 2023

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A school in Florida has banned the poem read at Joe Biden’s inauguration after a single complaint.

The unnamed parent said Amanda Gorman’s poem The Hill We Climb was “not educational” and contained “indirectly (sic) hate messages”, adding that it could “cause confusion and indoctrinate students”.

Gorman, 25, said on Instagram that she was “gutted” the poem had been banned from the elementary school in Miami-Dade County.

She said: “Let’s be clear, most of the forbidden works are by authors who have struggled for generations to get on bookshelves. The majority of these censored works are by queer and non-white voices.”

Gorman said she had written the poem “so that all young people could see themselves in a historical moment” and that she had received “countless letters and videos” from children inspired to write their own poetry.

“Robbing children of the chance to find their voices in literature is a violation of their right to free thought and free speech,” she added.

The banning of the poem comes at a time when Governor Ron DeSantis and a number of other politicians are moving to make Florida a more restrictive and less tolerant state.

On Tuesday, The Human Rights Campaign joined the NAACP, the League of United Latin American Citizens, the Florida Immigrant Coalition and Equality Florida in issuing travel or relocation warnings for the Sunshine State.

The Hill We Climb – Amanda Gorman

When day comes, we ask ourselves where can we find light in this never-ending shade?

The loss we carry, a sea we must wade.

We’ve braved the belly of the beast.

We’ve learned that quiet isn’t always peace,

and the norms and notions of what “just” is isn’t always justice.

And yet, the dawn is ours before we knew it.

Somehow we do it.

Somehow we’ve weathered and witnessed a nation that isn’t broken,

but simply unfinished.

We, the successors of a country and a time where a skinny black girl descended from slaves and raised by a single mother can dream of becoming president, only to find herself reciting for one.

Read the full poem here

‘Openly hostile’ laws and policies

The LGBT+ advocacy group said it was not calling for a boycott of travel to Florida but that it wanted to highlight new laws passed by the state’s Republican-controlled legislature that are hostile to its community, restrict abortion access and allow Floridians to carry concealed weapons without a permit.

Last weekend the NAACP, the oldest civil rights organisation in the US, said tourists should understand that the state “devalues and marginalises the contributions of, and the challenges faced by African Americans and other communities of colour”.

It also said that recent laws and policies championed by Mr DeSantis and others are “openly hostile” towards these groups and towards LGBTQ+ people.

In recent months Florida’s leaders have:

• Backed measures that ban state colleges from having programmes on diversity, equality and inclusion, as well as critical race theory
• Passed the Stop WOKE Act, restricting race-based discussion in schools and businesses
• Prohibited local governments from giving money to organisations that issue ID cards to people illegally in the US
• Invalidated driver’s licences held by undocumented migrants
• Required hospitals accepting Medicaid to include a citizenship question on forms, something critics say is intended to prevent illegal migrants from seeking medical help
• Tried to limit discussion on LGBTQ topics in schools and remove books with gay characters from libraries

Equality Florida said: “Taken in their totality, Florida’s slate of laws and policies targeting basic freedoms and rights pose a serious risk to the health and safety of those travelling to the state.”

‘A shadow of fear’

The League of United Latin American Citizens southeast vice president Lydia Medrano said that Governor DeSantis’s actions have “created a shadow of fear within communities across the state”.

Florida is one of the most popular states in the US for tourism – more than 137.5 million visited the state last year and the industry supports 1.6 million jobs.

Democratic mayors distance themselves from state’s governor

Perhaps with that in mind, some the state’s Democratic mayors were quick to distance themselves from the state’s intolerant image.

St Petersburg mayor Ken Welch tweeted: “Everyone is always welcome and will be treated with dignity and respect.”

Tampa mayor Jane Castor tweeted: “Diversity and inclusion are central to what makes Tampa one of America’s greatest and friendliest cities. That will never change, regardless of what happens in Tallahassee.”

Mr DeSantis is expected to announce on Wednesday that he will run for the Republican presidential nomination.

US

Children killed in mass shooting at birthday party in Stockton, California

Published

13 hours ago

November 30, 2025

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Children killed in mass shooting at birthday party in Stockton, California

Children are among the fatalities in a mass shooting at a child’s birthday party in California.

Police said four people had died and 10 were wounded in the incident in Stockton, about 60 miles east of San Francisco.

Officers were called on Saturday to a banquet hall just before 6pm local time (2am UK time) and district attorney Ron Freitas said children were among the dead.

He said the attacker was still at large.

“We can confirm at this time that approximately 14 individuals were struck by gunfire, and four victims have been confirmed deceased,” San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office said on X.

The post said early indications suggest it could be a “targeted incident” but that information remains limited.

Police have so far not disclosed the attacker’s identity and the motive is unclear.

Stockton’s vice mayor Jason Lee confirmed on Facebook that the shooting on Lucile Avenue happened at a child’s birthday party.

Mayor Christina Fugazzi also said that “families should be together instead of at the hospital, standing next to their loved one, praying that they survive”.

California governor Gavin Newsom’s office added that he had been briefed on the “horrific shooting”.

US

Venezuela accuses Trump of ‘colonial threat’ after US president ‘closes’ its airspace

Published

16 hours ago

November 30, 2025

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Venezuela accuses Trump of 'colonial threat' after US president 'closes' its airspace

Venezuela has accused Donald Trump of a “colonial threat” after he said the airspace “above and surrounding” the country should be considered closed “in its entirety”.

Mr Trump made the declaration amid growing tensions with President Maduro – and as the US continues attacking boats it claims are carrying drugs from Venezuela.

He wrote on Truth Social: “To all Airlines, Pilots, Drug Dealers, and Human Traffickers, please consider THE AIRSPACE ABOVE AND SURROUNDING VENEZUELA TO BE CLOSED IN ITS ENTIRETY.”

Venezuela’s foreign affairs office called it a “colonial threat” and “illegal, and unjustified aggression”.

It accused the president of threatening “the sovereignty of the national airspace… and the full sovereignty of the Venezuelan state”.

President Trump’s words were part of a “permanent policy of aggression against our country” that breached international law and the UN Charter, it added.

The Pentagon and the White House have so far not given any additional detail on the president’s statement.

Mr Trump’s post comes after the American aviation regulator last week warned of a “potentially hazardous situation” over Venezuela due to a “worsening security situation”.

The South American nation revoked operating rights for six major airlines that went on to suspend flights to the country.

Mr Trump warned a few days ago that land operations against suspected Venezuelan drug traffickers would begin “very soon”.

Such a move would be a major escalation in Operation Southern Spear – the US naval deployment in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific that’s so far attacked at least 21 vessels.

Venezuela has said the attacks, which have killed more than 80 people, amount to murder.

The US has released videos of boats being targeted, but hasn’t provided evidence – such as photos of their cargo – to support the smuggling claims.

The Pentagon has sought to justify the strikes by labelling the drug gangs as “foreign terrorist organisations” – putting them on par with the likes of al Qaeda.

It claims the boats targeted are carrying drugs bound for the US, although Sky’s chief correspondent says the final destination is likely to be Europe and West Africa.

President Maduro has denied Mr Trump’s claims he is involved in the drugs trade himself and said his counterpart wants to oust him so he can install a more sympathetic government.

Venezuelan officials have also claimed Mr Trump’s true motivation is access to the country’s plentiful oil reserves.

Mr Maduro is widely considered a dictator who’s cheated elections and has been president since 2013.

US

Children killed in mass shooting at birthday party in Stockton, California

Published

17 hours ago

November 30, 2025

admin

Children are among the fatalities in a mass shooting at a child’s birthday party in California.

Police said four people had died and 10 were wounded in the incident in Stockton, about 60 miles east of San Francisco.

Officers were called to a banquet hall just before 6pm local time (2am UK time) on Saturday and local district attorney Ron Freitas said children were among the dead.

He said the attacker was still at large.

“We can confirm at this time that approximately 14 individuals were struck by gunfire, and four victims have been
confirmed deceased,” San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office said on X.

The post said early indications suggest it could be a “targeted incident” but that information remains limited.

Police have so far not disclosed the attacker’s identity and the motive is unclear.

Stockton’s Vice Mayor Jason Lee confirmed on Facebook that the shooting on Lucile Avenue happened at a child’s birthday party.

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