Florida

“Everyone is making it seem like my book is what is introducing their children to these heavy topics,” said the author. “The world is what is introducing your children to these heavy topics.”https://t.co/hNioTYKQvq

— Local 12/WKRC-TV (@Local12) November 16, 2021

She specifically pointed to a state statute that summarizes how a school board is responsible for the content available to all students, and that anything that is pornographic is not suited to their needs.

“Do you feel like it’s fair to make a judgment if you haven’t read the entire book?” asked WESH’s Senait Gebregiorgis.

“I don’t think it matters what the whole story is if those parts are under our state statute obscene,” said Woolbright,

“Everyone is making it seem like my book is what is introducing their children to these heavy topics,” said Johnson. “The world is what is introducing your children to these heavy topics.”

Some schools in other states have removed the book, which was written mainly for Black queer youths, to make them feel “seen.”

“My book is not what is doing your child harm. It is you who will do your child harm by not allowing them to one, learn that other people exist in this world who have a different lived experience than them, and two, not allowing them to have the language, or this particular resource to deal with the problems that will come to them in this world when they arise,” said Johnson.