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The Florida teachers union and other groups are suing the state education department, saying the way it interpreted a new law about school library books goes further than the law intended, leading to censorship and book bans.
A Florida law passed last year requires more transparency about what materials schools use to teach students. The new law requires districts to catalog every book on their shelves and create a formal review process for complaints. Some parents have asked for certain books to be removed from schools because of the new law.
“This legislation aims to preserve the rights of parents to make decisions about what materials their children are exposed to in school,” Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said at the time.
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But the union and advocacy groups say the state regulation oversteps the intent of the law by pulling classroom libraries into its umbrella.
How have Florida school districts responded?
Florida school districts have responded in a range of ways:
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What do critics say?
“As a result of the rules, teachers and school librarians or library media specialists have been compelled to self-censor out of fear of losing their job – or worse, being subjected to criminal allegations – simply for trying to provide a safe learning environment for all students,” the Florida Education Association and other groups suing said in a statement. “Classroom and school library shelves have been left barren, students are unable to find books reflective of a diverse range of interests and from an inclusive list of voices, and parents have been silenced.”
Florida is hardly the only state where books in schools and libraries are under a microscope. One analysis last year found that books were banned at least 2,500 times by more than 130 school districts across 30-plus states.
Part of a ‘full-fledged’ movement:Schools banned books 2,532 times since 2021.
What does the state say?
The Florida Department of Education said it does not comment on active litigation.
Last week, however, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis issued a statement about debunking the “book ban hoax” in his state. “Myth,” the statement read, “Florida schools have been directed to “empty libraries” and “cover classroom books.’
“Fact: School districts are required to report the number of books removed from schools based on legislation passed in 2022. Of the 23 districts that reported removing materials, the most removed were tied at 19 in Duval and St. Johns Counties – not even close to a whole classroom library.”
Earlier this week, the Florida Legislature advanced a measure that would make it more difficult for teachers unions and those representing health care workers to organize and keep members.
Contributing: Ana Goñi-Lessan, Tallahassee Democrat
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