Russell Bruhn, a public school spokesperson, shared how the increased oversight required by the bill made it impossible to appraise the online services according to the new restrictions. As a result, the school system’s teachers have been prohibited from using Epic’s 40,000 title library and Prodigy’s math games to supplement learning. This decision comes as the negative effects of the pandemic are still impacting children’s education, especially those who “live in poverty, who are learning English, and who have disabilities.” This has left both teachers and parents frustrated, as the programs helped some students become more engaged. Although HB 1467 is not part of the Parental Bill of Rights, or the “Don’t Say Gay” bill, it is being interpreted by some as part of larger censorship efforts being carried out by conservatives that encourage LGBTQ+ erasure. Find more news and stories of interest from the book world in Breaking in Books.
