Karen Perez: HI, I AM KAREN PEREZ, CLEAR OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD. I WANT TO WELCOME YOU TO HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. THAT INCLUDES CHILDREN IN PRESCHOOL AND ADULTS THROUGH OUR WORKFORCE PROGRAM. Jessica Vaughn: HI, I AM JESSICA VAUGHN, THE SCHOOL BOARD'S VICE-CHAIR. OUR DISTRICT IS THE SEVENTH LARGEST IN AMERICA AND OUR TEAM IS MADE UP OF 24,000 PEOPLE WORKING AT CLOSE TO 50 SITES ACROSS THE COUNTY FREEWAY GRAY OUR DISTRICT IS DIVERSE AND DEDICATED. OUR BOARD MEETINGS ARE HELD IN OUR BOARD AUDITORIUM AT SELECT TUESDAYS AT 4 P.M. THE BEST WAY TO SERVE OUR STUDENTS IN THE COMMUNITY IS TO INVOLVE YOU, THE PUBLIC, IN WHAT WE DO. Henry "Shake" Washington: YOU ARE WELCOME TO MEET OR E-MAIL ANY OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS AND FOLLOW OUR DISTRICT ON SOCIAL MEDIA. SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS ARE COVERED LIVE BY HILLSBOROUGH SCHOOLS TV ON SPECTRUM 635 AND FRONTIER CHANNEL 32.
Stacy Hahn: MEETINGS ARE ALSO STREAMED LIVE ON OUR WEB SITE AT HILLSBOROUGHSCHOOLS.ORG. CLOSED CAPTIONING IS PROVIDED ON ALL BROADCASTS AND PAST MEETINGS ARE AVAILABLE IN OUR ONLINE ARCHIVE. Patti Rendon: WE ARE INTERESTED IN HEARING WHAT THE PUBLIC HAS TO SAY. WE WILL INCLUDE TIME FOR AUDIENCE COMMENTS AND OUR MATERIALS ARE POSTED ONLINE IN ADVANCE POSTED SEVEN DAYS FOR EACH MEETING ON OUR WEB SITE AT HILLSBOROUGHSCHOOLS.ORG. OUR GOAL IS TO PREPARE STUDENTS FOR LIFE, TODOS LOS ESTUDIANTES TODOS LOS DIAS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST IN EDUCATION. WITH YOUR HELP, WE ARE SHAPING OUR COMMUNITY'S FUTURE. Karen Perez: THE SPECIAL CALLED BOARD MEETING OF APRIL 29, 2024 IS CALLED TO ORDER.
MEMBER VAUGHN WILL LEAD US IN A MOMENT OF SILENCE AND FOLLOWED BY THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. AS OPPOSED TO THE MOMENT OF SILENCE, I WILL TAKE A MOMENT TO HONOR SOMEONE. BEFORE WE GET STARTED WITH THE MEETING TO ASK EVERYONE TO PAUSE AND IF THEY CAN OFFER THEIR MOMENT OF SILENCE TO THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF DORIS ROSS REDDICK. MRS. DORIS ROSS REDDICK PASSED AWAY SUNDAY, APRIL 1. SHE DEDICATED HER ENTIRE LIFE TO HELPING OTHERS ESPECIALLY IN THE AREA OF EDUCATION. SHE NURTURED STUDENTS IN OUR COMMUNITY AS A TEACHER, A SUPERVISOR, AN ESE SPECIALIST, SPECIALIST OF CURRICULUM FROM 1948 UNTIL HER RETIREMENT IN 1980. SHE WAS ELECTED TO THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SFWROORD . SHE WAS THE FIRST BLACK WOMAN ELECTED TO THE BOARD AND THE FIRST BLACK CHAIR OF THE BOARD IN BOTH 1995 AND 2001. WE ARE HONORED TO HAVE DORIS ROD REDDICK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, WHICH OPENED IN 2008, AS A TRIBUTE TO HER LIFETIME PASSION OF EDUCATION AND STUDENTS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
PLEASE TAKE A MOMENT OF SILENCE TO HONOR MISS REDDICK. THANK YOU. NOW PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. [PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE] Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER VAUGHN. AND THANK YOU FOR THAT -- THAT LEGACY FOR DORIS ROSS REDDICK. I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO ADOPT THE AGENDA.
I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER COMBS. AND SECOND BY MEMBER VAUGHN. ANY DISCUSSION? PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHT APPEARS. AND IT PASSES WITH MEMBER HAH NSN APPROACHING THE DIVE AREAS. LET THE RECORD REFLECT THAT ALL BOARD MEMBERS ARE PRESENT. BOARD MEMBERS, I WOULD LIKE TO GO OVER THE FORMAT OF TODAY'S MEETING. AS A REMINDER, WE ARE A NONPARTISAN BOARD WHO BELIEVES ALL CHILDREN CAN BE EMPOWERED TO LEARN, TO SUCCEED, AND OUR DECISIONS WILL BE MADE WITH THAT UNDERSTANDING. TO PAVE THE WAY FOR EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE AGENDA STATEMENTS AND/OR QUESTIONS, BOARD MEMBERS WILL HAVE FIVE MINUTES TO SPEAK WITH 30 SECONDS FOR FINAL THOUGHTS. AFTERWARDS, THE SUPERINTENDENT CAN RESPOND. IF YOU HAVE FURTHER QUESTIONS, YOU ARE ASKED TO GET BACK IN THE QUEUE.
MEMBER VAUGHN WILL NOW READ THE BOARD GUIDELINES. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. AS WE BEGIN THIS AFTERNOON'S MEETING, LET ME QUICKLY REVIEW THE FORMAT OF OUR SPECIALLY CALLED BOARD MEETING TO CONSIDER TWO APPEALS OF BOOKS CHALLENGED VIA THE DISTRICT'S OBJECTION OF THE USE OF SPECIFIC MATERIAL PROCESS. PLEASE SILENCE ALL ELECTRONIC DEVICES. THERE ARE SPEAKERS IN THE ROOM BEHIND ME THAT ALLOW BOARD MEMBERS TO HEAR THE MEETING UPON STEPPING AWAY FROM THE DAIS. THIS MEETING CAN BE VIEWED WITH CLOSED CAPTIONING ON THE LIVE WEBCAST ON CABLE TV AND VIDEO MONITORS HERE IN THE AUDITORIUM. VIEWED WITH CLOSED CAPTIONING IN THE ONLINE VIDEO ARCHIVE. Karen Perez: THE BOARD WELCOMES COMMENTS FROM CITIZENS AND VALUES YOUR INPUT TO THE BOARD. OUR BOARD RESPECTS THE PUBLIC'S RIGHT TO SPEAK TO THE BOARD AND WE APPRECIATE YOU TAKING THE TIME TO BE HERE; HOWEVER, IT IS REQUESTED THAT WHEN YOU ADDRESS THE BOARD, COMMENTS NOT -- ARE NOT DIRECTLY PERSONALLY TO A BOARD MEMBER AND STAFF AND RATHER DIRECTED TO THE ISSUES.
PUBLIC COMMENT WILL BE WITH THE CERTAIN BOOKS ON THE AGENDA "BLANKETS" AND "IDENTICAL. "GOINGS COMMENTS ARE NOT BASED ON THESE BOOKS, WE ARE ASKED FOR YOU TO CONTINUE YOUR DISCUSSION ON THE BOOKS. THE BOARD HAS SET ASIDE AN HOUR FOR PUBLIC COMMENT FOR THE TWO ITEMS ON THE BOARD'S AGENDA TODAY. THE BOARD MAY EXTEND THAT FOR ANOTHER HALF HOUR. ANY BEHAVIOR INTENDED TO DISRUPT THE ORDERLY CONDUCT OF THIS MEETING WILL NOT BE ALLOWED. OUR CIVILITY POLICY IS IN PLACE. WHEN ADDRESSING THE BOARD, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, ALONG WITH YOUR COUNTY OF RESIDENCE. SPEAK CLEARLY INTO THE MICROPHONE.
THIS AFTERNOON, EACH SPEAK WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES. REMINDER THAT YOUR THREE MINUTES START WHEN YOU BEGIN SPEAKING. WHEN THERE ARE 30 SECONDS LEFT, YOU WILL SEE THAT A YELLOW LIGHT ON THE LECTERN, A RED LIGHT, AND A CHIME WILL INDICATE WHEN YOUR TIME IS UP. I WILL NOW CALL UP THE FIRST FIVE SPEAKERS. THANK YOU, HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY BOARD FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK. SUPERINTENDANT PEREZ -- SORRY, CHAIR PEREZ AND SUPERINTENDENT. I AM DR. SONJA HALLMAN. A MOTHER WHOSE STUDENTS WENT THROUGH THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. I AM A RETIRED CRITICAL CARE PHYSICIAN. THE MOST IMPORTANT THING I TRY TO INSTILL INTO OUR CHILDREN IS TO LOVE THY NEIGHBORS AND DO THE RIGHT THING EVEN WHEN NOBODY ELSE IS. I WANT TO STRESS THAT ALL STUDENTS SHOULD BE ABLE TO READ ABOUT THEMSELVES. EVERY STUDENT AND CHILD NEEDS TO READ ABOUT THEMSELVES IN A BOOK. EVERY CHILD. LBGT, RACE, RELIGION AND SCULPTURE.
RECOGNIZING ONESELF IN A BOOK CAN BE LIFE CHANGING AND IN SOME CIRCUMSTANCES LIFE SAVING. CHILDREN OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SHOULD NOT -- NO, CANNOT BE ALLOWED TO ARRIVE IN GRADUATION IGNORANT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT LIKE THEMSELVES. PARENTS SHOULD DETERMINE WHAT A CHILD READS AND THEY DO NOT ENJOY THAT RIGHT PERTAINING TO OTHER CHILDREN. NO ONE WANTS PORNOGRAPHY, TRUE PORNOGRAPHY IN OUR SCHOOLS AND, OF COURSE, CHILDREN SHOULD ONLY BE EXPOSED TO AGE-APPROPRIATE MATERIALS. I READ BOTH OF THESE BOOKS. YES, THEY CONTAIN DESCRIPTIONS OF MOLESTATION WHICH TRAGICALLY 10% TO 0% OF AMERICAN GIRLS AND 7% TO 10% OF AMERICAN BOYS ACTUALLY EXPERIENCE. BUT AS JAMES BALDWIN ONCE WROTE, YOU THINK YOUR PAIN AND HEARTBREAK ARE UNPRECEDENTED IN THE WORLD. BUT THEN YOU READ "BLANKETS" OF A MAN WHO EXPERIENCES POVERTY AND BULLYING AND REJECTS THE ABILITY TO USE DRUGS. THIS SHOW THAT CHILDREN SURVIVE AND THEY CAN DO.
IF YOU HAVE THE BASIC UNDERSTANDING OF THE CYCLE OF HISTORY TO KNOW -- TO REALLY KNOW -- THAT THE FLORIDA 2024 WILL NOT BE REMEMBERED KINDLY BY HISTORY. LEADERS AND ADMINISTRATION PRACTICE OF REF DOGS, CIVIL RIGHTS, CENSORSHIP AND BOOK BAN SOMETHING REVILED IN TIME. WE AMERICANS HAVE LOVED OUR CIVIL RIGHTS WHICH WE HAVE SHOWN OVER AND OVER IN THE BALLOT BOX. OUR NATION IS LOOKING AT FLORIDA. YOU ARE GUYS ARE PART OF HISTORY. YOUR FACES. YOUR NAMES WILL BE IN THE ARCHIVES OF OUR LOCAL PAPERS AND OUR NEWS, WHO KNOWS, MAYBE EVEN THE HISTORY BOOK. WHAT SIDE OF HISTORY DO YOU WANT TO BE ON? RIGHT NOW YOU HAVE THE EXTRAORDINARY OPPORTUNITY TO REJECT THE CENSORSHIP OR AT VERY LEAST MAKE IT MORE RIGOROUS AND TRANSPARENT. YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO TEACH OUR CHILDREN THE FREEDOM TO READ WHAT THEY DESERVE. I AM ASKING YOU HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD, DO THE RIGHT THING EVEN WHEN OTHERS ARE NOT.
AND PLEASE LET THE CHILDREN READ. Karen Perez: THANK YOU. WE ARE, WE HAVE TIME SENSITIVE. IF WE CAN ALLOW THE SPEAKERS TO SPEAK. THANK YOU. HI, THANK YOU, HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK. MY NAME IS STEVE RUSSELL. I AM FATHER OF FOUR. WHOSE CHILDREN ATTENDED AND GRADUATED FROM HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. I AM SPEAKING TODAY TO CONTINUE TO ALLOW STUDENTS IN THIS COUNTY TO READ FREELY. EVERY PARENT HAS A RIGHT TO DECIDE WHAT BOOKS THEIR CHILDREN WILL READ, THEY DO NOT HAVE THE RIGHT TO DECIDE WHAT MINE AND OTHERS CAN. BOOKS OF CONTROVERSIAL SUBJECTS ARE IMPORTANT. IT IS VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE FOR A PARENT TO CENSOR OR CONTROL WHAT THEIR CHILDREN READ ON THE INTERNET AND ACCESS ON SOEVEND. I TRY, BUT IT IS UP TO INDIVIDUALS TO CENSOR THEIR OWN CHILDREN AND NOT TO YENSOR ALL CHILDREN. AND TO HAVE DIALOGUE OF SEX, DRUGS, AND ILLNESS.
SOMETHING THAT OUR CHILDREN SHOULD BE AWARE OF IN AN AGE-APPROPRIATE WAY. AGE-APPROPRIATE READING MATERIALS LIKE THE BOOK "BLANKETS" SHOULD BE ALLOWED IN OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS. OVERCOMING BULLYING, PEER PRESSURE AND SEX REALITY FOR OLDER TEENS. CENSORSHIP OF THIS TYPE OF MATERIAL WILL MAKE OUR CHILDREN LESS PREPARED FOR LIFE AND MAKE TRANSITION TO ADULTHOOD MORE DIFFICULT. DO NOT ALLOW A SMALL MINORITY OF ADULTS, SOME WITH LESS THAN NOBLE REASONS, DUMB DOWN OUR STUDENTS AND LEAVE THEM LESS PREPARED FOR ADULTHOOD. THANK YOU. Karen Perez: THANK YOU. AS A REMINDER, PLEASE STATE WHAT COUNTY YOU ARE -- YOU RESIDE IN. GOOD AFTERNOON, THANK YOU, CHAIR PEREZ AND SUPERINTENDENT AND STAFF. MY NAME IS ANT AVALA. I USE THEY THEM PRONOUNS AND THE COMMUNITY ORGANIZER HERE IN TAMPA BAY FOR QUALITY FLORIDA. I HAVE SPOKEN BEFORE THIS BOARD SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE AND I AM PROUD TO LEAD A GROUP OF FOLKS COMING HERE TO THANK THE BOARD AND SUPERINTENDENT AND DISTRICT STAFF FOR THEIR SUPPORT OF ALL STUDENTS, TEACHERS AND FAMILY.
WE TRUST THE PROFESSIONAL DISCRETION AND DECISION OF THE DISTRICT LEVEL REVIEW THAT HAS ALREADY TAKEN PLACE FOR BOTH THESE BOOKS. BOOKS ARE IMPORTANT TOOL FOR STUDENTS TO UNDERSTAND COMPLEX TOPICS. LIMITING STUDENTS FROM ACCESSING BOOKS WITH CHALLENGING THEMES DOES NOT PROTECT STUDENTS. BOOKS ACT AS BOTH A MIRROR FOR US TO SEE OURSELVES REFLECTED AND A WINDOW FOR US TO SEE OTHERS. AND LEARN. SO I THANK YOU ONCE AGAIN FOR YOUR GOOD STEWARDSHIP AND YOUR SUPPORT, YOUR PROTECTION FOR EVERY STUDENT AND YOUR RESPECT FOR EVERY FAMILY. THANK YOU. Karen Perez: THANK YOU, IF I CAN GET SPEAKER 6-11 TO LINE UP. APPRECIATE IT. NEXT SPEAKER. GOOD AFTERNOON. THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME THIS TIME. MY NAME IS MATTHEW JOHNSON. I LIVE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. I AM MARRIED TO A TEACHER IN ONE OF YOUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND THE FATHER OF TWO CHILDREN, ONE IN ELEMENTARY, AND ONE IN MIDDLE SCHOOL IN YOUR SCHOOLS AS WELL.
SO AT THE START OF THE SCHOOL YEAR, I WOULDN'T HAVE GUESSED WE WOULD HAVE ANYTHING TO CELEBRATE DURING SCHOOL LIBRARY MONTH. BACK IN AUGUST, MY LIFE AND A LOT OF OTHER TEACHERS IN THIS DISTRICT WERE THINKING ABOUT WHAT THEY WERE GOING TO DO WITH THEIR OWN CLASSROOM LIBRARIES. SOME OF THEM DECIDED TO TAKE THEIR BOOKS HOME INSTEAD OF WASTING THEIR TIME CATALOGING THEM ALL. MY WIFE, HOWEVER, LET ME COME INTO SCHOOL AND LOG HER BOOKS INTO THE SYSTEM. AS I ENTERED OVER 700 BOOKS, I WAS SURE THAT I WAS GOING TO HAVE A LARGE NUMBER OF THEM FINDING THEIR WAY BACK INTO MY GARAGE. SO SHE HAS A DIVERSE COLLECTION OF STORIES THAT OFTEN DEPICT PEOPLE THAT OUR STATE WANTS TO -- WHOSE HISTORY OUR STATE WANTS TO WHITEWASH. MUCH TO MY SURPRISE, NONE OF MY WIFE'S BOOK SUFFERED ANY BANS AND SHE HAVE STILL HAS HER FULL COLLECTION.
SO TODAY I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE BOARD FOR PUTTING PROCESSES IN PLACE WHERE PARENTS CAN CHALLENGE THE MATERIALS THAT ARE FOUND IN OUR SCHOOLS, BUT WE ARE ALSO ENSURING THAT OUR DIVERSE CULTURE CONTINUES TO BE REPRESENTED AND THAT A LOT OF THESE CHALLENGING MATERIALS CAN BE AVAILABLE. AND THANK YOU FOR SHIELDING OUR TEACHERS FROM THE DISTRACTIONS AND THANK YOU FOR NOT IMPOSING OTHER PARENTS' DESIRE TO SHELTER THEIR PARENTS ONLINE. WITH THAT, GO BOLTS! THANKS. Karen Perez: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAJOR MAXIM, U.S. ARMY RETIRED. WELCOME. I HAVE NOT MET YOU YET. I FEEL THAT THE IDENTICAL IN "BLANKETS" CLEARLY VIOLATE FLORIDA STATUTES 100628487041-8470011, 847012, AND 8470133. I FEEL THAT SOMEBODY NEEDS TO MAKE AN INVESTIGATION WHO IS THE SIGNATURE AUTHORITY AND THE APPROVAL AUTHORITY FOR THESE BOOKS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. HAVE A NICE DAY. Karen Perez: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. HI, MY NAME IS TAB THAT.
I AM A RESIDENT OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. A PROFESSOR HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. MORE IMPORTANTLY, A PARENT OF A HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENT. AS SOMEONE RAISED IN THE EVANGELICAL CHRISTIAN LIFESTYLE AND FUNDAMENTAL BAPTIST, I KNOW THE DAMAGE OF BOOK BANNING AS A CHURCH WHEN I WAS GROWING UP DICTATED WHAT I WOULD READ. LEFT ME WOEFULLY UNPREPARED AND UNDERSTANDING MY OWN PERSONAL IDENTITY WHEN I ENTERED THE UNITED STATES MILITARY AND COLLEGE AFTERWARDS. MORE IMPORTANTLY, I'M HERE TODAY BECAUSE IT SEEMS THAT ACTUAL SCHOOL PARENTS HERE IN OUR COUNTY ARE BEING IGNORED SINCE PEOPLE ARE SO FOCUSED ON THE WORDS OF HHOP HOP /* /* ELLEN HOPKINS. THE DEDICATION IN MY BOOK "IDENTICAL" THREE CLOSE FRIENDS WHO SUFFERED SERIOUS ABUSE AT THE HAND OF THEIR FATHER AND CITIZENFATHER. ANOTHER FRIEND WHOSE AGES WERE 2, 4, 8 AND 12. THE SUSPECT WAS A DISTRICT COURT JUDGE THAT PUT AWAY WHAT HE IS IT TO HIS STEPFATHER.
FRIENDS DIDN'T HAVE THE STRENGTH AND WANTED OTHER VICTIMS TO UNDERSTAND THAT. THEY COULD GO FORWARD WITH SAFE AND HAPPY FUTURES. ONE IN FOUR GIRLS AND ONE IN NINE BOY ALSO SUFFER ABUSE AND ASSAULT. MANY ARE AFRAID TO SPEAK UP AND FIND HELP. SOME ARE THREATENED .MOST ARE AFRAID NO ONE WILL BELIEVE THEM AND IF THE PERPETRATOR IS LIKE A DISTRICT COURT JUDGE. I WROTE IDENTICAL TO EN SCOURGE PEOPLE TO GIVE UP. AND SO OTHERS MIGHT IDENTIFY POSSIBLE VICTIMS OR PERPETRATORS. SO EVERY READER DEVELOPS EMPATHY AND UNDERSTANDING FOR A VERY BIG, VERY REAL PROBLEM. I UNDERSTAND THE SUBJECT MATTER IS DISTRESSING AND MEANT TO BE, BUT CLOSING OUR EYES WILL NOT MAKE IT GO AWAY. SPEAKING AS AN AUTHOR MYSELF, I AGREE WE WILL AND ELLEN'S PUBLISHERS BEING THE BOOK AND APPROPRIATE SUBJECT MATTER FOR TEENS. SPEAKING AS LITERACY PROFESSOR, THE LACK OF ACCEPTANCE ON UNCOMFORTABLE TOPICS LED TO MANY PEOPLE IN COLLEGE TO FULLY COMPREHEND OF WORKS THAT WERE PRESENTED TO THEM AS THE AUDIENCE AND OF DIFFERENT VIEWS "IDENTICAL" DOES BOTH.
THE DUTY OF THIS SCHOOL DISTRICT TO PREPARE STUDENTS FOR LIFE. NOT TO INHIBIT THAT. SPEAKING OF A PARENT IN THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT TIRED OF MYSELF AND FELLOW PARENTS WHAT SHOULD BE PERMITTED BY PARENTS WHO DO NOT HAVE STUDENTS IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. THE LAST TIME I CHECKED THEY WEREN'T EDUCATING OR RAISING MY CHILD. MY SON HAS SOMETHING TO SAY. SAY IT. MY VOICE COUNTS AND I DON'T WANT BOOKS BANNED. THANK YOU. Karen Perez: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. HELLO, MY NAME IS CARMEN AND THE LEAVE-LONG RESIDENT OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. I READ "IDENTICAL" AND "BLANKETS" AND I WANT YOU TO KEEP THEM IN THE LIBRARY. THESE NOTES ARE BEING SHARED WITH THE PERMISSION OF THE READERS AND THEIR PARENTS. DEAR ELLEN, "IDENTICAL" THE MOST INTENSE WORK OF LITERATURE I EVER READ. I NEVER BEEN SO CLOSE TO SOMETHING MY ENTIRE LIFE. ONLY THING THAT HAD LIFE BEARABLE TO READ YOUR BOOKS, RELATE TO THEM AND REALIZE I AM NOT ALONE AND NEVER HAVE BEEN.
FIRST OF ALL, THANKS, A TON. SUCH AN INSPIRATION. I WAS NERVOUS TO READ THESE INTENSE TOPICS AND AT POINTS, I FOUND MYSELF IN TEARS WITH EVERYTHING SO REAL. 15 AND ALMOST 16. SINCE I WAS 10 TWO SEPARATE SEXUAL ABUSE, MY UNCLE AND THEN HIS FRIENDS. IT WAS TOUGH TO LIVE WITH FOR A WHILE. REMINDED ME HOW SCARY IT WAS TO DEAL WITH WHEN THE SECTIONS OF KALEY SPEAR WHEN COUNTS HER FATHER'S FOOTSTEPS IN THE HALL SCARED OF WHAT IS COMING NEXT. I DON'T KNOW IF I CRIED THAT HARD IN MY LIFE. IT IS OKAY BECAUSE ALTHOUGH IT IS FICTIONAL THESE THINGS REALLY HAPPENED AND I AM NOT GOING THROUGH IT BY MYSELF. ABUSE IS VERY REAL AND HOPE, FAITH AND LOVE ARE VERY REAL AND CAN OFTEN OUTWEIGH THE STRUGGLES. GIVEN ME HOPE AND SECURITY. YOU ARE AN AMAZING PERSON AND I LOOK FORWARD TO READING YOUR NEWEST BOOK IN AUGUST.
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING AND TURNING FRIGHTENING TOPICS INTO CONVERSATION. SECOND NOTE SHE RECEIVED. HELLO, MISS HOPKINS. I WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT ALL OF YOUR BOOKS HAVE TOUCHED ME, ESPECIALLY "IDENTICAL." I FEEL LIKE YOU WERE WRITING ABOUT MY LIFE DOWN TO THE LAST DETAIL. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THEIR BOOK. IT IS MY FAVORITE. IT MADE ME CRY, WHICH THAT IS THE FIRST BOOK THAT HAS EVER DONE THAT. MOSTLY I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR NOT CHOOSING THE DOOR BECAUSE PEOPLE ASSUME NOTHING HAPPENS BEHIND CLOSED DOORS. I WAS SEXUALLY ABUSED UNTIL I WAS 16 BY MY FATHER. -- IT WAS AMAZING HOW MANY DETAILS I COULD SAY, HEY, THAT'S ME. UNHIKE HER, I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO COME OUT ABOUT MY FATHER AND FAMILY AND FRIENDS. I AM WORKING OUT COUNSELING THOUGH AND HOPE SOME DAY SOON I WILL BE ABLE TO TELL THEM.