JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — It’s Banned Books Week, and Florida school districts are getting a warning from the state.
In a new memo, the Florida Education Commissioner tells superintendents to find and remove inappropriate books before parents have to, or risk losing state money. Two First Coast districts, Clay and Nassau, are specifically highlighted in the memo for already doing so.
The state is not settling the debate over where “inappropriate” ends and “educational” begins. What the memo does make clear is who is responsible for drawing that line.
The new memo from Florida’s Department of Education directs school boards to vet every book in every classroom and every school library, regardless of how it got there, even if no parent has filed a complaint.
The standard the memo relies on is material considered “harmful to minors,” not the broader language contained in a 2023 state law. Parts of that law were struck down by a federal judge and are currently being appealed.
The state is also outlining consequences for districts that do not comply. The commissioner wrote that he will use his authority “to the fullest extent” and that the state can withhold state funds, grant money and lottery dollars.
“The fact that children are not being given the trust and the choice to read materials...” said Duval County parent Jasmine Turner.
A new report released by PEN America, a free speech group that opposes book bans, found nearly 12,000 book bans in public schools during the last school year, the highest number since the organization began tracking the issue in 2021. The report found the vast majority of those bans came from Texas and Florida.
Action News Jax reached out to Clay, Nassau and Duval county school districts for comment.
In a statement, Clay County District Schools said it “operates in compliance with all Florida statutes and federal laws” and remains committed to ensuring all learning materials are age-appropriate.
Nassau and Duval counties had not responded at the time of publication.
Teachers in Duval County argue the state’s focus is misplaced while districts continue to deal with teacher vacancies and funding gaps.
“They should be focused on educating kids, making sure those who are doing the education have a living wage. They should fund schools properly. That’s where their focus should be and not on banning those,” said Tammie Brooks-Evans, president of Duval Teachers United.
According to Florida’s Department of Education, nearly 600 books were removed from schools during the last school year. With the new memo, that number could grow.
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