Florida’s annual list of removed school books is out, and it’s reigniting a debate that has been building for years. Ten of the state’s 67 districts pulled more than 600 titles this year, and PEN America ranks Florida first in the nation for total school book removals. The Department of Education maintains that Florida does not ban books, citing statute 1006.28, which gives districts the authority over instructional materials. Education Commissioner Henry Mack issued a memo urging district leaders to stay compliant with that statute.
Critics say the state’s list is missing pieces. Kasey Meehan, Freedom to Read Director at PEN America, says their research on removed titles hasn’t uncovered what she would call truly illicit or pornographic material. Stephana Ferrell with the Florida Freedom to Read Project argues the list lacks context and undercounts removals that happen without a formal district vote. Both organizations plan to release their own lists, setting up dueling versions of the same story. National Banned Books Week begins Sunday, so expect this conversation to keep growing.
For Suncoast families, the practical question is local. Sarasota and Manatee County school boards set their own review policies, and those meetings are open to the public. If you want to know what was removed from your kid’s school and why, the district office is the place to ask, not a national headline. Which books do you think should stay on local school shelves? Tell us in the comments.
