Florida school districts have begun pulling hundreds of books from library and classroom shelves, following mounting pressure from the state’s Republican-led administration. The removals come after the state Board of Education threatened legal action against Hillsborough County schools, leading to more than 600 titles being withdrawn ahead of the new academic year. Other districts, including Columbia, Escambia, Orange, Osceola and Broward, quickly followed suit in what advocacy groups describe as a coordinated campaign of censorship.
Books under scrutiny
The titles removed span a wide range of literature, from classics such as The Diary of Anne Frank and Maya Angelou’s I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings to contemporary works by LGBTQ+ authors. None of these had been formally challenged by parents or reviewed locally, raising concerns that the decisions are being driven more by political directives than educational standards.
An ideological campaign
PEN America, a non-profit defending freedom of expression, condemned the mass removals as “state-driven censorship”. The organisation argues that the state is using intimidation and vague legal threats to force districts into compliance, effectively bypassing established procedures for book reviews. Critics highlight that the actions disproportionately target works by women, people of colour and LGBTQ+ voices.
Legislative foundation for bans
The campaign stems from Florida’s House Bill 1069, passed in 2023, which mandates the removal of any book deemed to contain “pornographic” material, often interpreted broadly. Another measure, House Bill 1467, requires districts to publicise all removals, creating pressure on neighbouring counties to mirror decisions. Combined, these laws have enabled the expansion of bans across Florida’s education system, with hundreds of titles now unavailable to students.
Legal challenges intensify
The measures are now facing constitutional pushback. A federal judge recently ruled that key provisions of the law were unconstitutional, arguing that professional librarians, not political mandates, should determine appropriate content. At the same time, major publishers and several prominent authors have filed lawsuits, claiming the laws violate First Amendment rights and ignore the literary and educational value of the targeted works.
Impact on teachers and schools
For many educators, the environment has become increasingly fraught. Escambia County alone removed more than 400 books, including the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, in an effort to avoid potential penalties. Teachers have reported feeling forced to self-censor, covering up classroom books or removing them entirely, with some choosing to leave the profession amid the uncertainty and restrictions.
National trend of censorship
Florida has emerged as the centre of the nationwide surge in book bans, accounting for more than 4,500 removals in the 2023–24 school year, according to PEN America. The rapid escalation has amplified concerns about a broader movement to reshape the educational landscape in the United States, with Florida’s policies increasingly being cited as a blueprint for similar initiatives elsewhere.
REFH – Newshub, 17 August 2025
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