The Dictionary, Beyonce, Gaga And Oprah Books Under Review In Florida Schools
As conservatives grow more fervent in their reproach of perceived sexual content in books in school districts, a slew of publications have joined the growing list of banned books in Florida. This list now includes prominent biographies, classic literature, the diary of Anne Frank and certain versions of the dictionary.
Yes, seriously
Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida signed the controversial House Bill 1069 in May 2023, which enhances a school district’s ability to restrict or prohibit book titles that may contain sexually explicit materials. It also provides a process for parents to limit student access to materials and make objections. Under the definitions in Florida state law, “sexually explicit materials” can be defined as any mention of gender identity or sexuality that falls outside of the biological or social norm. Whatever that is!
The fallout of this bill is already being witnessed with districts across Florida withdrawing books from school libraries and classrooms for review. The Escambia County School District recently caught flack for withdrawing five dictionaries and eight encyclopaedias from their collections for review.
According to The Messenger, the PEN America organisation has identified thousands of titles that have been pulled including biographies of Beyonce, Lady Gaga, Oprah Winfrey, Nicki Minaj and Thurgood Marshall – all LGBTQIA+ or Black figures. The Guinness Book Of World Records and Ripley’s Believe It Or Not have also been withdrawn.
“School libraries are not state propaganda centers,” says PEN America’s Florida director, Katie Blankenship. “They are meant to be sites of inquiry, where students can encounter a diverse range of ideas, gain access to information, and inspire discussion, debate, creativity, and critical thinking.”
The Florida Freedom To Read Project has also stated their discontent with titles being withdrawn from school districts. “When books are pulled or rejected in the thousands over fear of compliance with vague law, we are using a “guilty until proven innocent” mentality that deprives hundreds of thousands of students full access to the books they had available prior to this law being enacted,” the group says.
A spokesperson from the Escambia County School District has responded to the outcry by saying these books aren’t banned, simply under review to ensure compliance with new state regulations. Thus far, fewer than 100 texts have been reviewed in a six month period. The timeline for review would mean a book pulled from shelves now could take years before being reintroduced.
