Florida school district removes dictionaries from libraries to review for possible bans
Video above: Florida bookstore adds shelf for titles banned by schools
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — A Florida school district has removed more than 1,600 books — including dictionaries and encyclopedias — to review them for possible bans under Florida law that prohibits books with sexual content.
The Florida Freedom to Read Project obtained the list of books pulled by the Escambia County School District, which includes five dictionaries, eight encyclopedias, “The Guinness Book of World Records,” “Ripley’s Believe it or Not,” and Anne Frank’s “Diary of a Young Girl.”
The district also pulled biographies from Beyonce, Lady Gaga, Oprah, Nicki Minaj, and Thurgood Marshall. Also on the list are books by John Green, Stephen King, and Nicholas Sparks. Former Fox News host Bill O’Reilly’s “Killing Jesus” and “Killing Reagan,” were also pulled, according to the Florida Freedom to Read Project.
A district spokesperson told a newspaper that the books “have not been banned or removed” but were pulled for “further review” to ensure compliance with the law that went into effect in July.
The Florida Freedom to Read Project, along with PEN America and Penguin Random House, sued the Escambia County School District in May over a previous set of book restrictions. A hearing in the case was scheduled for Wednesday.
Florida House Bill 1069 expands on the “Parental Rights in Education” law passed last year. Dubbed “Don’t Say Gay” by its critics, the bill prohibits classroom instruction on sexual orientation or gender identity in K-3 grades. Republican lawmakers voted to extend the prohibition from Pre-K all the way through eighth grade.
Read the full list of books here.
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