On Tuesday, the popular “Libs of TikTok” Twitter account reported that Flamer, an award-winning graphic novel that “discusses masturbation, watching porn, and has graphic depictions of sexual acts,” was available in the library of a Broward middle school. According to the tweet, Flamer is available to students at Falcon Cove Middle School in Weston. Concerned parents, activists and politicians want to know why.
Flamer is a semi-autobiographical graphic novel by author Mike Curato. The book “tells the story of Aiden, who is bullied for his appearance, including acting in a manner considered stereotypical of gay men. Curato…based his experience as a closeted teenager to write the novel.” As graphic novel, Flamer is more of a comic book than a traditional novel. Its words are accompanied with imagery depicting sexual activities.
For this reason, the publisher of Flamer states the book is suitable for high school aged students only.
Amazon states Flamer is suitable for grades 10-12. Both Amazon and Barnes and Noble state Flamer is suitable for ages 14-18.
Amazon guidance on FlamerBarnes & Noble Guidance On Flamer
So why is Flamer available to students age 10-14 at Falcon Cove Middle School?
Don’t Broward School librarians, administrators, teachers or staff check the age appropriateness of books before putting them on bookshelves?
Did someone decide they knew better than the publisher, Amazon and Barnes & Noble?
Did someone decide on their own that the message of a book overrules guidance from the publisher?
Governor Ron DeSantis did not say Flamer was not appropriate for middle school kids. The publisher of Flamer said it wasn’t appropriate for middle school students.
Libs of TikTok and Moms of Liberty didn’t say Flamer belonged in high school libraries. Amazon and Barnes & Noble said that.
Are the people who claim biographies of Anne Frank and Roberto Clemente run afoul of new rules the same ones who overruled the publisher’s recommendation on Flamer?
Local radicals are celebrating news that a Broward high school will teach students about black nationalists this fall. BLM Weston, a group affiliated with the socialist Dream Defenders and Broward Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), cheered when Cypress Bay High School in Weston agreed to their demand that a black history class be offered to students. Cypress Bay sent a letter to parents about the new African-American History Honors class.
Cypress Bay states the elective course will emphasize “the study of the historical development of African-Americans by examining the political, economic, social, religious, military and cultural events that affected the cultural group.”
The school says course content will include West African heritage, Triangular Trade, enslavement and emancipation, Abolition and the Civil Rights movement.
So far, so good. Many of these topics used to be covered in American History classes, so students wishing a deeper understanding of the subject should be able to take an in-depth course.
Just one problem. Cypress Bay includes some course content that radical groups eagerly wish to teach to your kids about—-Black Nationalists.
Again, a scholarly review of complex historical figures such Malcolm X should be welcomed in any American History class.
But in the twenty-first century, Marxist groups use Black Nationalism to push their radical, and sometimes violent agendas.
In 2017, The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) warned of the “Return of the Violent Black Nationalist.” According the very liberal SPLC:
In general, Black Nationalist hate groups espouse hatred toward whites, the LGBT community, and Jews. Black Nationalists have also advocated for a separate territory for African Americans within the country (similar to white nationalists who argue for a white homeland in the Pacific Northwest). According to their propaganda, Black Nationalists would like a portion of the Southeast United States reserved for a black nation. Further, they are known for their antigovernment and anti-police sentiments due to their long-held views on government corruption and police brutality.
Like most extremist movements in the United States, Black Nationalism’s worldview is shaped by conspiracy theories, including the idea that white people were created in a test tube. Among other things, they believe wrongly that Jews ran the slave trade. Some are Holocaust deniers. Similar to other hate groups, some Black Nationalist groups conduct prison outreach programs to recruit inmates into their extremist cause. Some have also been known to recruit street gang members.
The SPLC wrote how black hate fueled recent church arsons and the murder of five Dallas police officers:
[Micah] Johnson was motivated to shoot 14 police officers not only to avenge perceived unjustified killings of unarmed black men, but also to bring increased attention to these killings and, perhaps, change government policy. Johnson was later linked to Black Nationalism through his racist rhetoric and photos posted to social media. He also reportedly attempted to join a Black Nationalist group, the New Black Panther Nation (NBPN), but was ousted by NBPN leader Quannel X because of his radical views and perceived mental instability. Similarly, Gavin Long espoused antigovernment beliefs and affiliated with the Washitaw Nation, a Moorish sovereign citizen group comprised mostly of African Americans. Moorish sovereign citizens, like Long, do not recognize the authority of law enforcement or other government officials. Long regularly spoke of perceived police brutality on his social media accounts and chose to retaliate against the police, a symbolic target, as a result of his extremist views.
The Washington Post investigated the groups Johnson and Long belonged to. “‘There are a few big groups and a lot of little ones, and they are growing in an echo chamber where all they hear is ‘anger, anger, anger, anger, anger,’ said J.J. MacNab, an author and George Washington University researcher who specializes in extremism.”
Can Cypress Bay parents trust teachers not to expose their kids to the hatred and anger of the Black Nationalist movement?
Should Broward County high schools allow radical political activists to determine which classes are offered?
Those who question the radical curriculum are quickly attacked.
On the BLM Weston Instagram post announcing the new class, one follower wrote, “Nah, I just want to learn American History period.”
The BLM Weston account quickly attacked the commenter with this reply:
I encourage everyone to take this course so we can really educate ourselves on OUR History not just the “white savior” narrative.
“White Savior narrative?” BLM Weston thanked the Cypress Bay principal “and a school board member” for discussing the creation of this black history class.
Did they discuss the “white savior narrative?”
Who was the school board member?
Will this member bring this radical curriculum to other schools in her district?