Florida settles lawsuit after challenge to ‘don’t say gay’ law; Associated Press via The Guardian, March 11, 2024

Associated Press via The Guardian ; Florida settles lawsuit after challenge to ‘don’t say gay’ law

"Under the terms of the settlement, the Florida board of education will send instructions to every school district saying the Florida law does not prohibit discussing LGBTQ+ people, nor prevent anti-bullying rules on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity or disallow Gay-Straight Alliance groups. The settlement also spells out that the law is neutral – meaning what applies to LGBTQ+ people also applies to heterosexual people – and that it doesn’t apply to library books not being used for instruction in the classroom.

The law also doesn’t apply to books with incidental references to LGBTQ+ characters or same-sex couples, “as they are not instruction on sexual orientation or gender identity any more than a math problem asking students to add bushels of apples is instruction on apple farming”, according to the settlement.

“What this settlement does, is, it re-establishes the fundamental principal, that I hope all Americans agree with, which is every kid in this country is entitled to an education at a public school where they feel safe, their dignity is respected and where their families and parents are welcomed,” Roberta Kaplan, the lead attorney for the plaintiffs, said in an interview."

From ethics to outsmarting Chat GPT, state unveils resource for AI in Ohio education; Cleveland.com, February 15, 2024

Laura Hancock, cleveland.com ; From ethics to outsmarting Chat GPT, state unveils resource for AI in Ohio education

"The state released a guide Thursday to help schools and parents navigate generative artificial intelligence in an ethical manner.

“When you use the term AI, I know in some people’s minds, it can sound scary,” said Lt. Jon Husted, whose InnovateOhio office worked with private sector organizations to develop the guide...

Every technology that’s come into society has been like that.”...

But AI is the wave of the future, and Husted said it’s important that students are exposed to it.

The AI toolkit is not mandatory but can be used as a resource for educators and families.

It doesn’t include many prescriptive actions for how to begin teaching and using AI. Rather, it contains sections for parents, teachers and school districts where they can find dozens of sample lessons and discussions about ethics, how to develop policies to keep students safe, and other topics.

For instance, teachers can find a template letter that they can send to school district officials to communicate how they’re using AI...

“Before you use AI in the classroom you will need a plan for a student with privacy, data security, ethics and many other things,” Husted said. “More is needed than just a fun tool in the classroom.”"

Which banned books have been removed from Iowa schools? Our updated database lists them; Des Moines Register, October 16, 2023

Tim Webber, Des Moines Register; Which banned books have been removed from Iowa schools? Our updated database lists them

"A new law approved this year by Gov. Kim Reynolds and Iowa’s Republican-controlled Legislature has already resulted in the removal of hundreds of books from school libraries throughout Iowa, according to data obtained by the Des Moines Register, and that number could reach the thousands by the start of the new calendar year. 

Senate File 496, signed into law by Reynolds in May, bans books with descriptions or depictions of sex acts from school libraries and prohibits instruction on gender and sexual identity until seventh grade, among other effects.

Since then, schools have worked throughout the summer and into the new school year to meet the law’s new restrictions, with the process still ongoing in many districts...

Which books have been pulled from the shelves in my Iowa school district?

Through Wednesday morning, 24 school districts have sent the Register a list of books that have been removed from their schools’ shelves.

They can be viewed in this database, or you can use the quick search tool below. The database groups together graphic novels, translations and other direct adaptations with the original work. Additionally, note that some school districts have removed books as a precautionary measure as they determine whether they can be returned to the shelves...

Together, more than 450 individual works by more than 300 authors have already been pulled from the shelves of Iowa school districts as a result of Senate File 496. Our database will continue to be updated as we receive more lists from districts around the state."

Some parents want action, but school guidance on Utah’s book ban law is still murky; KUER 90.1, May 20, 2022

Jon Reed, KUER 90.1; Some parents want action, but school guidance on Utah’s book ban law is still murky

"Utah House Speaker Brad Wilson sent a letter to the Utah State Board of Education Wednesday to urge education officials to “take initiative” against school districts refusing to comply with a new state law banning “sensitive materials” in schools.

While not naming specific districts, Wilson told KUER that he’s received reports of schools knowingly disregarding the law as well as input from parents on whether certain materials are inappropriate and should be removed.

“When we have clearly pornographic materials in our school libraries, it needs to come out and it needs to come out quickly,” he said. ”This is not an imaginary issue.”

School districts have long had policies for how to address requests to review and remove materials. But the law sets new standards about what material is considered pornographic or indecent, according to a memo from the Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel.

The memo contradicted previous guidance from the Utah Attorney General. OLRGC also noted the AG’s office overstated U.S. Supreme Court precedent on when the removal of a book from a school library violates a student’s First Amendment rights.

Norman Emerson, president of the Utah Library Media Supervisors, said districts are working to update their policies to be in compliance with state law. Some had waited until more guidance was issued, including direction from USBE that is still forthcoming. In a letter addressed to Speaker Wilson, the board noted districts are already required to have a reconsideration process for library materials but also said it is working toward creating a “model policy” that can be used as a template."