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submitted 7 months ago by MicroWave@lemmy.world to c/news@lemmy.world

Journalists Robert Samuels and Toluse Olorunnipa, authors of the Pulitzer Prize-winning book “His Name Is George Floyd,” are still unclear why they were told they couldn’t read from their book or talk about systemic racism to a room full of high school students in Memphis.

Two days before an event at Whitehaven High School, they said they were “blindsided” by the last-minute restrictions, which they believed event organizers issued in accordance with Tennessee laws restricting certain books in schools. They said they’d also been told the week before the appearance that their book wouldn’t be distributed at the event.

One thing is for certain, the authors said: The students paid the price ultimately.

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[-] FiskFisk33@startrek.website 55 points 7 months ago
[-] Travalanche@lemmy.world 38 points 7 months ago

"...which they believed event organizers issued in accordance with Tennessee laws restricting certain books in schools."
Legal worries, I'm guessing.

[-] Linkerbaan@lemmy.world 2 points 7 months ago

Free speech is bait to put dissidents in jail

[-] Seasoned_Greetings@lemm.ee 4 points 7 months ago

While it would be an epic and radicalizing event for the school to have them arrested on stage, it might not be worth tanking their whole movement for one middle finger in the asscrack of Tennessee.

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[-] RizzRustbolt@lemmy.world 17 points 7 months ago

But by telling them that they couldn't talk about systemic racism, they themselves were talking about systemic racism.

Checkmate.

[-] Daqu@feddit.de 2 points 7 months ago

That's how you get the students to read the book. Well done.

[-] some_guy@lemmy.sdf.org 0 points 7 months ago

Tennessee is doing a speed-run to become worse than Mississippi and Missouri.

this post was submitted on 15 Nov 2023
416 points (98.1% liked)

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