Several organizations have expressed concern over Florida’s increasing restrictions on educational materials, particularly books containing health information, even if such topics have been removed from the middle school curriculum. Four advocacy groups—the Florida Freedom to Read Project (FFTRP), PEN America, EveryLibrary, and the National Coalition Against Censorship (NCA)—sent a joint letter to Florida school superintendents and school board attorneys, urging caution when it comes to removing books covering topics such as anatomy, teen pregnancy, and sexual assault.
While the Florida Department of Education has imposed limits on the teaching of such subjects in classrooms, the groups argue that this should not extend to banning books from school libraries. The letter emphasizes that, despite curriculum restrictions, students should still have access to books on these important topics for independent research.
The organizations are worried that these new restrictions could lead to broader limitations on school and classroom libraries, curtailing valuable resources for students. They have noted instances where books have already been removed in an effort to overcomply with state law.
Stephana Ferrell, director of research and insight for the Florida Freedom to Read Project, highlighted the dilemma of parents being denied the ability to choose whether their children receive essential health information, such as details about consent, contraceptives, and prenatal development. She believes it is critical that school libraries continue to provide access to such information, especially as classroom curricula are increasingly restricted.
The groups referenced arguments made by the office of Attorney General Ashley Moody in a lawsuit concerning the book And Tango Makes Three, which tells the story of two male penguins raising a chick together. Moody’s office contended that while some materials may be inappropriate for classroom use, they may still be suitable for school libraries, which serve a different function.
Florida school districts have been struggling with how to handle the presence of books in school libraries under the state’s new laws, signed by Governor Ron DeSantis. These laws allow parents and others to challenge books, though limits on the number of challenges were introduced this year. In the fall of 2024, the Department of Education released a list of over 700 books that were either removed or discontinued in schools across the state.
Critics have strongly criticized these removals, but state officials, including DeSantis, have defended the actions, asserting that only age-appropriate materials are being made available. They have dismissed claims of a “book ban” as a “hoax.”
Despite this, the groups that sent the letter are concerned that the removal of books will continue to escalate. Katie Blankenship, PEN America’s Florida senior director and counsel, called the state’s approach to cutting sex education “dangerous” and warned that it could lead to further censorship of essential educational resources. She urged state leaders to focus on enhancing public education and restoring books to libraries rather than imposing restrictions on critical curriculum.
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