Randi Weingarten, the president of the American Federation of Teachers, apologized Sunday for tweeting a fake list of books supposedly banned in Florida schools.
The list was initially tweeted by an anonymous Twitter account that billed the list as “Florida’s banned book list” and included several classic tales such as The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, The Lord of the Rings, To Kill a Mockingbird, The Catcher in the Rye, and Of Mice and Men.
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In response to the tweet, Weingarten, who leads the nation’s second-largest teachers union, said, “Books we have taught for generations,” apparently lamenting the fact the books had been banned.
I should have double checked before I retweeted this list. My bad. Looks like some of the books weren’t banned. Book bans are very real & dangerous. For an accurate list go to red, wine & blue https://t.co/ohR4ntMYZW & pen america https://t.co/r5AZbNgoTQ pic.twitter.com/AU3F5E9BaP
— Randi Weingarten ☮️???? (@rweingarten) August 22, 2022
But a number of Twitter users were quick to point out that the list appeared to be a fabrication and that at least one book on the list, To Kill a Mockingbird, was part of the Florida Department of Education’s list of recommended books for eighth grade.
“The State of Florida has not banned To Kill a Mockingbird,” Bryan Griffin, the press secretary for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis wrote. “In fact, Florida recommends the book in 8th grade…. However, the book was banned by a progressive district in California, along with other classics, in 2020.”
False. The State of Florida has not banned To Kill a Mockingbird. In fact, Florida RECOMMENDS the book in 8th grade. (FL Standards linked, page 160). However, the book was banned by a progressive district in California, along with other classics, in 2020).https://t.co/5JQelH8XZK https://t.co/E5qPBQPhsn pic.twitter.com/OAVderItxD
— Bryan Griffin (@BryanDGriffin) August 21, 2022
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In response to the criticism, Weingarten offered an apology, saying she should have reviewed the list more carefully before sharing.
“I should have double checked before I retweeted this list,” she wrote. “My bad. Looks like some of the books weren’t banned. Book bans are very real & dangerous.”
