A self-composed poem read by youth poet Amanda Gorman at President Joe Biden’s inauguration ceremony was included in the reading ban list at an elementary school in South Florida, Florida, due to a parent’s raising a problem. came out
On January 20, 2021, at the time of the inauguration ceremony, Gorman, a black girl who was a 17-year-old youth poet grand prize winner, wrote on her Facebook account on the 24th that “My poem ‘The Hill We Climb'” I will fight against the decision,” he said.
“It’s really disastrous. Depriving children of the opportunity to find their voice through literary works is a violation of their constitutional fundamental right to free thought and free expression,” he said.
Gorman, who was named National Youth Poet Laureate at the age of 17, wrote the inaugural poem “so that every child[inauguration]can see themselves in a historical moment.” said it was
He also said that after the event, letters and video messages from countless children who pledged to write poetry themselves were answered from all over the country.
Gorman created a worldwide sensation after Biden’s inauguration. This is because Gorman was the youngest poet to recite poetry at a presidential inauguration since poet Robert Frost was invited to the inauguration of President John F. Kennedy in 1961.
Gorman’s poem “The Hill We Climb” is filled with echoes reminiscent of passages from the Bible, snippets of “Hamilton” (the popular musical about the founding hero Hamilton), and speeches by Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr.
The poem begins with “Where can we find light / In this endless darkness and shadow… ”, and Gorman gives the answer in his poetry and life.
Gorman was halfway through the poem when followers of former President Donald Trump stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6. So, even in the message at the congratulatory message for President Biden’s inauguration, he said that he could not ignore “evidence of division and discord in the United States.”
In response, Anna Rhodes, a spokeswoman for the Miami-Dade School District in Florida, said in a statement that the poem and the books it contains are still listed in the media center for middle school students.
Bans on reading materials are not new in the United States, but they happen frequently in the state of Florida. In particular, Gov. Disantis’ government has caused a national uproar by banning or censoring books whenever there are complaints from some that the books children are learning or reading in school are inappropriate.
Governor Disantis announced his candidacy for the presidency on the 24th, and has usually relied heavily on policies that discriminate based on racism, sexual orientation and gender. Knowing that he has the support of conservative voters, he is struggling to win their votes even in the primary election for the Republican presidential nominee.
On the 24th, White House spokeswoman Curin Zanpier issued a statement condemning Florida’s decision to ban Gorman’s poem, and said that Biden and the Biden administration would fight on the side of Gorman.
“President Biden was proud that Gorman, the youngest poet laureate, gave a speech (poetry recitation) at the inauguration ceremony. However, banning a book or poem is like a censorship system. The people of the country must stand up and fight against those acts that oppress the freedom of the American people, the freedom of the United States,” he said.
Yesenia Martinez, principal of K-8 Elementary School, a public school in Miami-Dade, did not immediately respond to AP’s emailed inquiries about the matter. Coincidentally, the school is named after Bob Graham, a former Democratic senator and governor of Florida.
Daley Salinas, the mother of a student who has spoken out against Gorman’s poems and collections, told the Miami Herald that she does not support censorship or destruction of any books. She said she just insisted that textbooks be appropriate for her children. She has not yet clarified what part of Gorman’s poetry she objected to.
However, in response to her complaint, the school set up an emergency textbook review committee, including three teachers, a library expert, a guidance counselor and the principal, to determine if the book or material was age appropriate and readable to all students, the newspaper reported. reported.
As a result of the review, 4 of the committee members expressed the opinion that this poem and book are more appropriate and suitable for middle school students. That’s why they decided to keep it on the list of middle school students in the school’s media center.
But, Gorman wrote on Facebook: “The authors of all banned works and books have been fighting for generations to keep their work on bookshelves. You should clearly recognize that. In addition, the majority of books caught in censorship are written by non-white racial or LGBT people.”
[포트 로더데일(미 플로리다주)= AP/뉴시스]
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.