Teacher Raising Money to Buy Banned Books for his Students

 

by Pa Rock

Former Teacher

Adam Byrn Tritt is an Advanced Placement English teacher at a high school in Brevard County, Florida, who has a problem with Florida's zeal for banning books from schools and libraries - a problem that likely originated when his local school district had him remove Kurt Vonnegut's classic anti-war novel, "Slaughterhouse Five" from his classroom's curriculum.

Mr. Tritt, in fact, has become so angry with the notion of book-banning that he decided to do something about it.  He has begun raising money to  buy banned books which will then be distributed to students in Brevard County to read over the summer.  

To date, Adam Tritt has collected over $8,000, and he is still working at raising more.   He is primarily investing the money is good, used books - where his dollars will go further than buying new books.  Tritt said that he is trying to acquire most of the books from local sources.  Some of the books that he is purchasing include "Beloved" and "The Bluest Eye" by Toni Morrison, "Not all Boys are Blue" by George M. Johnson, "Are You There God, It's Me, Margaret" by Judy Blume, "The Handmaid's Tale" by Margaret Atwood, and, of course, Kurt Vonnegut's "Slaughterhouse Five."   

Local businesses and churches will be helping Tritt distribute the books.  Kids sixteen and older must show proof of ID in order to acquire books, and those under the age of sixteen must be accompanied by a parent.

No one expected Florida's book-banners to take this affront to their work lying down, and they have not disappointed.   A local right-wing group calling itself "Mom's for Action" is using Facebook to attack Adam Tritt personally, comparing him to a sex offender, a "groomer," and someone who is intent on providing pornographic materials to children.  The rabid group of book-banners has challenged dozens of books available in local schools and libraries, saying they contain sexual content that is not appropriate for children - their own children and everyone else's, too.

But Adam Tritt has not been deterred by the slander and name-calling.  He is hard at work making sure that the children of Brevard County have the opportunity to read the work of writers whose intellect and vision reach far beyond the gutter world of hate-riddled Facebook posts.

In addition to being a public high school teacher, Adam Tritt is also a college instructor, elected public official, and a published author and poet.

The world needs more people like the teacher, Adam Tritt, and the young people of Brevard County, Florida, are lucky to have him in their corner!