At the Indian River County Delegation Meeting Held on January 12th, 2023, Moms for Liberty – Indian River, FL Chairman Jennifer Pippin spoke on the behalf of the Indian River County Chapter of Moms for Liberty.
Pippin currently serves as one of four parents volunteering on a committee for the Florida Department of Education Library Curriculum training committee charged to train School Media Specialists across Florida to be in compliance with the Parental Rights in Education Law passed in 2022.
Pippin provided documentation to Senator Grall and Representative Brackett about legislative proposals that Moms for Liberty – Indian River, Florida would like to see signed into law. Pippin said the laws would be for the benefit of school children in the State of Florida.
Pippin expressed support for partisan School Board elections in the State of Florida, which would allow for closed primaries and open party identification for candidates running for school board.
Currently, Florida’s Constitution in Article IX Section 4, School Board races have to be nonpartisan. A change would require an Amendment to Florida’s Constitution, which would have to be approved by 60% of voters in the State of Florida.
Pippin said “education has always been politicized. We need to look no further than national union leadership to understand the depth of politics throughout our school districts. Partisan school board elections will give voters, who are already voting in closed primaries, the ability to identify local candidates down ballot according to the disposition of how they are registered to vote. This notation should increase voter turn out in those local elections. It is good to know the general position of who we are voting for, just like other local county elections that are important to taxpaying families.”
Pippin spoke about the issue of pornographic/obscene books being found in Indian River County school libraries. She said the current laws have lacked the ability to allow for legal action to be taken for the removal of all the books that have been deemed obscene, including lack of clarity for legal definition of certain words in Florida Statute and using statute that was not meant to be used in scenarios regarding K-12 Schools. There have been many obscene books found in Indian River County, FL by Moms for Liberty – Indian River, Florida.
Pippin specifically pointed out the word “pornography” is not clearly defined in Florida Statutes.
Pippin said the Florida Department of Education Library Review Committee she is a member of does not use “qualifiers” of “artistic value” and or “political merit” when looking to see if something is obscene or not.
The United States Supreme Court does not protect obscenity as Free Speech, such as Miller v. California.
Supreme Court rulings are also extended to State Governments per the 14th Amendment Section 1.
Pippin gave Senator Grall and Representative Brackett recommendations to modify Florida’s obscenity statuts, specifically 847.001 and 847.012.
Pippin said her recommendations would strengthen 2022 HB 1467.
Pippin also provided Utah 2022 H.B. 374 Sensitive Materials in Schools to Senator Grall and Representative Brackett to use as an “effective guide,” if needed.
Pippin told Indian River News she wrote proposed legislation (with some assistance in writing it) regarding Florida’s obscenity statute relating to children in K-12 Schools. Pippin’s bill would help allow the removal of more obscene books from school libraries that currently are unable to be removed under current Florida Law.
Pippin pointed out during her speech, a book titled ‘This Book is Gay’ was challenged for obscenity over in Hillsborough County, FL. She said the book details of the included various sexual acts and encouraged children to use Grindr, which is notoriously known for being a dating app for homosexual men.
‘This Book is Gay’ after vetting, was ultimately allowed back onto shelves since it was deemed to have “serious literary value” despite the obscene content in the book.
As Pippin was about to read an excerpt from one of the books, Senator Grall requested Pippin “bring her comments to a close.” Senator Grall said she has “objected” to the various obscene materials, like what Pippin was about to point out. Senator Grall also said she finds meetings, like the Legislative Delegation Meeting, should be available for children to watch, including her children and Pippin’s children.
Senator Grall said she is happy to discuss the details of the obscene books privately with Pippin and said Pippin is aware of that opportunity.
Pippin told Indian River News “I have the utmost respect for Senator Grall and all of the work she has done and continues to do. She is a woman I greatly admire and look up to. I respect her interrupting my speech at the delegation session and acknowledging publicly the issues with pornography and sexually explicit content in K-12 public schools. I hope that both our Representative and Senator will support the bill changes and help protect the children of this state.”
Pippin concluded her remarks, thanking Senator Grall and Representative Brackett for their time, listening to her remarks and for serving the constituents of Indian River County. Pippin specifically said in her ending remarks “please protect the children of this state from adult written pornography being paid for by our tax dollars without our thorough consent.”
Click here to view Pippin’s remarks at the Indian River Legislative Delegation.
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