Pink posted a list of what she said were “banned books” that she planned to give away during her four concert stops in Florida, but the problem is they aren’t really banned in the state.
The 44-year-old pop star recently announced she’s teamed up with a nonprofit called PEN America to hand out 2,000 “banned books” while touring the Sunshine State.
“Books have held a special joy for me from the time I was a child, and that’s why I am unwilling to stand by and watch while books are banned by schools,” Pink said in a press release.
“It’s especially hateful to see authorities take aim at books about race and racism and against LGBTQ authors and those of color,” she added in her statement. “We have made so many strides toward equality in this country and no one should want to see this progress reversed. No more banned books.”
After reports of Pink’s vow to distribute the books surfaced, the “Just Give Me A Reason” hitmaker took to X and listed several publications she claimed “have been banned from schools in Florida, including “To Kill A Mockingbird,” “A Catcher In The Rye,” “The Kite Runner,” “The Bluest Eye,” and “The Diary of Anne Frank.”
The following are some titles of books that have been banned from schools in Florida…. Lmk which book is pornography…. To Kill A Mockingbird, The Hate You Give, Forrest Gump, A Catcher In The Rye, The Hill We Climb, Girls Who Code, Atlas Shrugged, 1984, The Kite Runner, The…
— P!nk (@Pink) November 14, 2023
A context alert was added to Pink’s post that read: “Readers added context they thought people might want to know. This list has been proven incorrect. These books are not banned in Florida. In fact, some are on Florida’s required reading list. Fact check: Fake list of banned Florida books circulates widely online.”
CHECK OUT THE DAILY WIRE BLACK FRIDAY SHOPPING GUIDE
Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis’ press secretary, Jeremy Redfern, also hit back and provided a list on X of the the books that are on “Florida’s BEST Standards English Language Arts” list, which includes books like “To Kill A Mockingbird” and “The Diary of Anne Frank.”
“We’re used to ill-informed attacks from California’s liberal elites, and sadly, this is another example,” Florida Education Commissioner Manny Diaz, Jr. told The Daily Wire in a statement. “It’s easy to tell she’s lying when several of the books on her list are actually required reading in Florida.”
“When we took nation-leading action to support parental rights, we knew the woke mob would come for us, but with Governor DeSantis as the leader of our state, we were undeterred,” the statement added. “We will continue to fight for parents and make sure Florida remains the national leader in education.”
To Kill A Mockingbird was pulled from shelves in Palm Beach School District in July 2022, to review under state legislation, HB 1069. This is a case where the book was returned to classrooms with “Instructional Statements” on how to use the book in the classroom.
— P!nk (@Pink) November 15, 2023
The singer later admitted “To Kill A Mockingbird” wasn’t banned in Florida schools.