MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – Schools in Miami-Dade County will now require permission slips for students to attend book fairs.
Local 10 News spoke with Lissette Fernandez, a PTA member and mother of two elementary school students, who is concerned about the need to sign a permission form just so kids can attend the book fair at their school.
“The Scholastic Book Fairs are an opportunity to get the kids excited about reading,” she said.
The website allows parents to get previews of the books for future purchasing.
But Fernandez says for the first time — she’s having to sign a permission form just so her kids can attend the book fair.
In the form, a parent agrees to:
“Discuss with my child the content of any books they purchase that I feel may be inappropriate for them” and “gives the ability to “return any books to the book fair that I do not feel are appropriate for my child.”
No signature means a student cannot attend the Scholastic Book Fair.
“I think it hinders the most disadvantaged students,” says Fernandez.
Fernandez believes that the permission slips may get lost and parents could forget to sign, which she argues will prevent kids from accessing books and participating in what traditionally has been known as a fun event.
“I think it should be an opt-out because the reality is that the majority of parents want their kids to be able to access this material,” she said.
Fernandez blames this change in policy on state legislation, specifically SB 1069 — which prohibits classroom instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in grades K-8.
The district told Local 10 News this is the second time permission forms have been sent out to parents regarding the scholastic book fair.
They say they want to ensure parental awareness.
But to Fernandez, at a time when reading proficiency levels are low following COVID-19 academic losses, the permission slips make it harder for kids to be engaged in reading.
Fernandez says she knows of one school that simply canceled this year’s Scholastic Book Fair.
“It’s very sad, and from what I was told, it was because they’re afraid of recent legislation and they don’t want to take the risk,” she said.
Click here for more information on the material available for students that attend the book fairs and the parent permission form.