Parent's Objections To Disney Film 'Ruby Bridges' Overruled By School Review Committee

PINELLAS COUNTY, FL — A Disney movie about a 6-year-old Black girl entering a newly integrated elementary school in New Orleans has weathered a challenge by a parent in a recent case using a new parental rights law to question classroom material.

The School-Based Review Committee at North Shore Elementary decided April 3 that the film "Ruby Bridges" is appropriate to show to elementary school students in Pinellas County public schools.

The film tells the real-life story of Ruby Bridges, who was the first Black student to enter a desegregated public school in 1960.

Under the state's Parental Rights in Education law passed during the 2022 legislative session, parents have the right to review and challenge the appropriateness of any materials available to students in school media centers or instructional materials, including textbooks, used in the classroom.

Emily Conklin, the parent of a North Shore Elementary School student, did just that after her child's second-grade class watched the movie in March as part of a Black history lesson. Parents were given permission slips for their children to see the movie beforehand. Conklin and the parents of one other student did not give their permission. Those students were not allowed to see the movie.

In her challenge, Conklin said she objected to the racial slurs and threats of violence by the white adults as the little girl entered the New Orleans school, ending 100 years of segregation. She felt the film would make impressionable young children think that white people hate Black people.

“I personally found the 'Ruby Bridges' film to be an inspiring story about Black people and white people overcoming challenges,” said review committee member Kyandra Darling. “I don’t believe the film teaches hate. Instead, it displays the ugliness of intolerance."

The school district said all the members of the review committee viewed the film, read over Conklin's objection form, reviewed the school district's policy concerning age-appropriate materials and heard from the school's second-grade teachers and a district-level content specialist.

Afterward, the committee, made up of three teachers, two parents, two members of the community and a library media technology specialist who chaired the committee, voted unanimously to allow the film to be shown at Pinellas County public schools.

"Although the complainant was invited to speak to the committee, she did not attend," said the school district in a statement. "After careful consideration and discussion, the committee voted to continue the use of the film with no additional parameters except those already in place for the showing of PG movies."

The school district said the committee considered factors such as the age appropriateness, the educational value and the parental permission requirements of the film, and determined that the film should be available to all schools in the district's licensed movie library.

The Pinellas County School District isn't the only district in Florida dealing with ramifications of the new state law.

Across Tampa Bay, the Hillsborough County School Board voted to remove the book, "This Book is Gay," from middle school media centers last month following an objection from a parent.

Last month, the Escambia County School Board voted to keep four books challenged books after a seven-hour debate while Duval County leads the state in the number of banned books. The county took 176 books off school library shelves in 2022, according to a Freedom of Information request filed by the Florida Freedom to Read Project.

PEN America, a worldwide organization committed to protecting the right to read, said Florida has the second-highest number of book bans in the country.

According to its U.S. Index of School Book Bans, 566 books have been banned in 21 Florida school districts.

Related:

• 'This Book Is Gay' Removed From Middle School By School Board
• Objection To Library Book To Be Decided By Hillsborough School Board
• FL Moms For Liberty Say They'd Like To See Parental Rights In Education Law Expanded

Pinellas County Review Process Reaction

Laura Hine, vice chairwoman of the Pinellas County School Board, said she thought the process worked as intended.

“Our society has got to come to a place where we can have a conversation, disagree and then stand together,” Hine said.

Prior to the committee's review of the challenge, rumors spread that the film was being banned from Pinellas County Schools after Conklin reported that she'd been told by a school official that the film would no longer be shown.

Pinellas Schools Superintendent Kevin Hendrick issued a public statement to quash the rumors and clear the air.

"Since late January 2023, there has been much discussion in our community about ‘banning,’ and, like many exchanges in our nation, it has been divisive. Most recently, it was reported that the district banned the movie 'Ruby Bridges'," he said. "To be clear, it is not banned in our schools. Teaching about our nation’s civil rights history is fully supported in state curriculum guidelines. However, these guidelines and school district policy allow for parents to file objections to any materials that may be of concern."

Likewise, he said, the school district has a process in place to review any objection.

"As superintendent of Pinellas County Schools, I encourage engagement from our students, families, staff and community," he said. "I welcome the exchange of ideas because I believe in the power of public education and our district to positively impact the lives of students."

He added, however, that "so much in public dialogue lately seems to be purposefully divisive. I do not believe we have to play a zero-sum game wherein one person has to lose for another person to win. I can confidently say that our community wins when we listen to all voices and work together to accelerate progress for all, not some. To do this, leaders must be able to uphold multiple values at the same time."

While he said he agrees that instructional materials must be age-appropriate and follow state standards, "I believe diverse instructional materials develop students to be well-rounded citizens."

Hendrick conceded that the process surrounding the district's first parental challenge didn't go as smoothly as he would have liked.

"As district staff learn how to best implement new laws, navigate through and balance the nuances, we have made mistakes in our communication and timing," he said. "This was the case at North Shore Elementary School where it was communicated to a parent that the film would no longer be shown. For this, I take responsibility."