Just when you thought it couldn’t get any crazier, Florida schools have stepped up their book banning spree as students head back to class. We’re talking hundreds of titles being yanked from libraries and classrooms!
In a state already notorious for its book bans, the conservative leadership is doubling down, choosing to pull reading materials to sidestep any backlash. It’s like they’re saying ‘no thanks’ to open conversation and honest storytelling.
William Johnson, the head of PEN America’s Florida office, highlighted the ongoing issue, saying that this isn’t just random; it’s a systematic attempt to erase LGBTQ+ narratives and real discussions about sex and identity from libraries. He urges Floridians to raise their voices because staying silent won’t change anything.
Since 2021, there’s been a sharp rise in extracurricular book bans across the country, but what’s happening in Florida right now has escalated particularly after pressure from the state board of education.
Back in May, the Hillsborough County School District was warned by the board: remove “pornographic” books or risk legal action. So, they complied and broke with just over 600 titles hitting the chopping block—all this at a cost predicted to be around $350,000 for the district.
Classic reads like The Diary of Anne Frank and What Girls Are Made of by Elana K Arnold were among the casualties, despite not being formally challenged or flagged by parents. Instead of outright removal, parents had the option to let their kids opt out of specific readings. Talk about overreach!
PEN has been vocal against what it calls “state-driven censorship,” describing it as a concerted effort to control power through fear and quash diversity within public schools.
Worried about being next on the chopping block, nine surrounding school districts have jumped on the bandwagon, with schools in Columbia, Escambia, Orange, and Osceola quietly siding with the censoring narrative. They clearly don’t want any similar backlash from the state.
Rachel Doyle, also known as “Reads with Rachel” on social media and a parent of two kids in Hillsborough, expressed her frustration, feeling like her voice is getting silenced by far-right groups like Moms for Liberty. It’s painful to see her children being used as political bargaining chips.
“I don’t want outside groups deciding what my kids read. If Florida starts going down this road more, trust me, other states will follow suit,” Doyle noted.
Escambia County, following this trend, has already removed around 400 books—without review, no less. Titles like I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou and Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse-Five have all vanished from library shelves following the Hillsborough debacle.
The book banning trend we’re witnessing in Florida fits right into a larger national narrative driven by conservative sentiments against teachings related to race, gender, and diversity.
Given all of this, it’s no shock that red states, on average, are seeing a higher volume of banned books. This year alone, Florida cracked down on 4,561 titles across 33 districts.
The offenders? Often authors of color, women writers, and LGBTQ+ voices all lose out under the axe. Any book that presents these experiences or dives into historical figures seems to be a regular target.
Rob Sanders, an accomplished children’s author, knows the drill all too well after witnessing challenges against his books in Florida and beyond. His view on the situation is telling: “If we strip away every tale that doesn’t mirror someone’s personal life or experience, we’ll be left with empty shelves.”
“As an author, my role is to keep writing genuine stories that highlight the diverse tapestry of our world,” Sanders wrapped up beautifully.
