<div>The English and modern languages departments hosted a reading event called “Freedom to Read” on Oct. 10 at the Performing Arts Center (PAC) in downtown Florence, drawing around two dozen attendees. This public reading featured a diverse group of participants, including professors, students and Florence residents. Attendees could read excerpts from books that have been challenged in schools across the U.S. Professor of English, Jo Angela Edwins, organized the event to protest the rising trend of book censorship in the Southeast. “As a parent, you have the right to decide what your child can and cannot read,” Edwins said. “That does not mean you can decide what everyone else can read.” The event showcased a range of challenging literature, from children’s favorites like Dr. Seuss’s “The Lorax” to young adult novels such as Suzanne Collins’s “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay” and classics like George Orwell’s “1984.” Madison Woodle, sophomore English major and secretary of Sigma Tau Delta, the English Honors Society, read from Collins’s “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay.” Before reading, she explained that the book faced challenges due to its themes of “political rebellion.” “One of the biggest elements of being able to learn… is how to think for yourself,” Woodle said. “This trend is eliminating the freedom of thought… and essentially forcing people into one singular way of thinking.” The English and modern languages departments aim to make the “Freedom to Read” event an annual tradition. Additionally, a course on banned books will be offered through the Honors Program in the spring of 2025. For more information on upcoming events, follow FMU’s social media or check the student calendar on the university’s website.</div>

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Community Celebrates Their Freedom to Read

The English and modern languages departments hosted a reading event called “Freedom to Read” on Oct. 10 at the Performing Arts Center (PAC) in downtown Florence, drawing around two dozen attendees. This public reading featured a diverse group of participants, including professors, students and Florence residents. Attendees could...