Ron DeSantis finally admits that Florida book bans went too far
8 months ago

Ron DeSantis finally admits that Florida book bans went too far

The Independent  

Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Ron DeSantis conceded this week that Florida may have gone too far with efforts to ban books, some two years after he signed a law that led to school districts removing hundreds of titles. The Florida governor passed a “curriculum transparency” law in 2022 that required schools to ensure their books were “free of pornography and prohibited materials harmful to minors”. “That involves objecting to normal books, like some of the books that I saw in the teacher’s lounge, these classic books.” Mr DeSantis has reacted angrily in the past to any suggestion that his law constituted a ban on books, calling it a “media hoax”. A report released this week by PEN America found that Florida led the country in book bans for the first half of the current school year, with 3,135 bans across 11 school districts.

Law Florida School Led Desantis Inside Washington Washington Email School Districts Mr Desantis Ban Books  florida  desantis  law  ron  far  bans  finally  school  mr  led  admits  ban  books  book  teachers  washington  went

History of this topic

New Jersey becomes latest state to prohibit bans on books in school, public libraries
2 weeks ago

New Jersey becomes latest state to prohibit bans on books in school, public libraries

Associated Press  

PRINCETON, N.J. — New Jersey Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy signed a law Monday to prohibit public and school libraries from banning books in the state and to enshrine protections against civil and criminal charges for librarians who comply with the law. Murphy signed the bill at Princeton’s public library, a short walk from Princeton University’s ivy-draped campus and cast the …

Trump’s promises to conservatives raise fears of more book bans in U.S.
1 month ago

Trump’s promises to conservatives raise fears of more book bans in U.S.

LA Times  

• Book bans are on the rise as conservative parental rights groups fight what they believe is ‘wokeness’ in classrooms. We’re just getting back to commonsense America.” Trump’s threat to deny federal funding to schools that acknowledge transgender identities could affect curricula and the kinds of books school libraries stock. During his rally at Madison Square Garden in October, Trump …

Florida education officials report hundreds of books pulled from school libraries
1 month, 1 week ago

Florida education officials report hundreds of books pulled from school libraries

Associated Press  

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — “The Bluest Eye” by Toni Morrison. “Students lose the ability to access books that mirror their own lived experiences, to access books that help them learn and empathize with people who … have different life experiences.” The list released for the 2023-2024 school year includes titles by American literary icons like Maya Angelou, Flannery O’Connor and Richard …

A San Francisco store is shipping LGBTQ+ books to places where they are banned
5 months, 3 weeks ago

A San Francisco store is shipping LGBTQ+ books to places where they are banned

Associated Press  

SAN FRANCISCO — In an increasingly divisive political sphere, Becka Robbins focuses on what she knows best — books. Among those topping banned lists have been Maia Kobabe’s “Gender Queer,” George Johnson’s “All Boys Aren’t Blue” and Nobel laureate Toni Morrison’s “The Bluest Eye.” An LGBTQ+ related book is seen on display at Fabulosa Books, in the Castro District of …

Florida school board bans book about book bannings
6 months, 1 week ago

Florida school board bans book about book bannings

Raw Story  

A book about book bannings has itself been banned by a school board in Florida at the behest of right-wing Moms for Liberty activists. The Guardian reports that "Ban This Book" by author Alan Gratz has been removed from libraries in Florida's Indian River county school district after the school board opted to ban it in a 3-to-2 vote last …

Book bans in the US are at an all-time high. Will we see a similar spike in Australia?
6 months, 3 weeks ago

Book bans in the US are at an all-time high. Will we see a similar spike in Australia?

ABC  

On January 20, 2021, the young black poet Amanda Gorman stood upon the dais at Joe Biden's presidential inauguration to read her poem The Hill We Climb. Listen to ABC RN's Banned Books Photo shows Banned Books_02_0201 The Book Show's Sarah L'Estrange looks at what is driving book bans worldwide, from China's crackdown on homoerotic danmei fiction to the controversy …

How best to stop books being banned? Ban such bans.
6 months, 3 weeks ago

How best to stop books being banned? Ban such bans.

Live Mint  

While far-right groups—in mostly Republican-led states—wage a crusade to ban thousands of books in schools and public libraries across the country, Minnesota is pushing back. Where previous attempts typically involved a parent or small group of parents challenging a single book title, now groups with clear political agendas are filing coordinated challenges against scores of books, all under the guise …

Minnesota and other Democratic-led states lead pushback on censorship. They’re banning the book ban
8 months ago

Minnesota and other Democratic-led states lead pushback on censorship. They’re banning the book ban

Associated Press  

ST. PAUL, Minn. — A movement to ban book bans is gaining steam in Minnesota and several other states, in contrast to the trend playing out in more conservative states where book challenges have soared to their highest levels in decades. The move to quash book bans is welcome to people like Shae Ross, a queer and out Minnesota high …

Florida Schools Must Teach 'Evils Of Communism,' DeSantis Orders
8 months ago

Florida Schools Must Teach 'Evils Of Communism,' DeSantis Orders

Huff Post  

LOADING ERROR LOADING Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Wednesday signed a bill requiring public K-12 schools to teach what he called “the truth about the evils of communism,” claiming it’s necessary to do this before students can be misled about the topic when they enter higher education. “It’s going to give the students the truth about communism,” DeSantis said of …

DeSantis tweaks Florida book challenge law, blames liberal activist who wanted Bible out of schools
8 months, 1 week ago

DeSantis tweaks Florida book challenge law, blames liberal activist who wanted Bible out of schools

Associated Press  

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Two years ago, Democrats repeatedly and forcefully warned Republicans and Gov. That’s political.” Coincidentally, PEN America, a group that fights book bans, issued a report Tuesday saying Florida is responsible for 72% of the books that have been pulled from the nation’s schools in the first half of the current school year. The dispute between them erupted …

Report: Last year ended with a surge in book bans
8 months, 1 week ago

Report: Last year ended with a surge in book bans

NPR  

Report: Last year ended with a surge in book bans Enlarge this image toggle caption PEN America PEN America PEN America says there was an "unprecedented" surge in book bans during the latter half of 2023, according to a new report. The free expression group says that from July-December of last year, it recorded 4,349 instances of book bans across …

Florida’s DeSantis signs one of the country’s most restrictive social media bans for minors
8 months, 4 weeks ago

Florida’s DeSantis signs one of the country’s most restrictive social media bans for minors

LA Times  

Ron DeSantis, shown at a February news conference, on Monday signed a law to ban social media accounts for children under 14 and require parental permission for 15- and 16-year-olds to open such accounts. Florida will have one of the country’s most restrictive social media bans for minors — if it withstands expected legal challenges — under a bill signed …

DeSantis allies start to back off book bans amid national outrage: 'May have gone too far'
11 months ago

DeSantis allies start to back off book bans amid national outrage: 'May have gone too far'

Raw Story  

Florida Republicans might be backing off support for Gov. Florida has become infamous as the epicenter of book censorship activism in schools, even as DeSantis has insisted the whole thing is a liberal "hoax" to make his state look bad. But the state's Republican legislature is starting to worry the action has gone too far, reported Politico, with lawmakers considering …

From Iowa to Florida, national lawsuits against local book bans begin to gain traction
11 months, 1 week ago

From Iowa to Florida, national lawsuits against local book bans begin to gain traction

LA Times  

Lawsuits challenging book bans in Florida and Iowa are proving to play a key role in the growing fight for student’s access to literature. In May, Dan Novack, Penguin Random House vice president and associate general counsel, told The Times the publishing house was suing to stop “one of the most unsubtle attempts at viewpoint discrimination” they’d ever seen. Today’s …

A new report shows how corrosive book banning is. Novelist Lauren Groff is fighting back
1 year ago

A new report shows how corrosive book banning is. Novelist Lauren Groff is fighting back

LA Times  

PEN America’s latest report on book bans is glaring, but “Matrix” author Lauren Groff is on the front lines and opening a banned-book shop in Florida. As a new report from PEN America aggregates two years of data on book bans to show how they stigmatize specific authors, Lauren Groff — author of “Florida” and the recent novel “The Vaster …

A book delivery initiative will help people in Florida receive banned books
1 year, 2 months ago

A book delivery initiative will help people in Florida receive banned books

NPR  

A book delivery initiative will help people in Florida receive banned books The banning of books across U.S. schools continuing at an alarming rate. Banned Books USA will send banned books to libraries, educational institutions or anyone living in the state of Florida. The initiative ships banned books to libraries, schools or just anyone living in the state of Florida …

‘Teachers will be punished’: Fox News host busts Ron DeSantis for denying Florida book bans
1 year, 2 months ago

‘Teachers will be punished’: Fox News host busts Ron DeSantis for denying Florida book bans

Raw Story  

Fox News host Shannon Bream pushed back on Republican presidential candidate Ron DeSantis after he claimed that his state had not banned books in schools. During an interview on Fox News Sunday, Bream told the Florida governor she had recently spoken to a group of women about the targeting of LGBT students by his policies. "And the message that they've …

Children and parents begin uphill fightback against book bans in Florida
1 year, 2 months ago

Children and parents begin uphill fightback against book bans in Florida

CNN  

Central Florida CNN — Now that books are being banned and disappearing from school libraries, students and parents are showing up to school board meetings in Florida to argue for access to books that take on difficult subjects. “‘Wait,’ Josie said, trying to roll away beneath him, but he clamped his hand over her mouth and drove harder and harder …

Column: Not satisfied with schools, book banners are now targeting adults’ right to read
1 year, 2 months ago

Column: Not satisfied with schools, book banners are now targeting adults’ right to read

LA Times  

Students and other citizens at a recent school board meeting in Orlando, Fla., protest efforts by the board and state authorities to remove books from school library shelves and suppress education on race and LGBTQ+ issues. “This year, to date, it’s 49%.” We’re seeing groups go to school or library board meetings to demand the removal of multiple titles all …

Carl Hiaasen, Banned Books, And Censorship In Schools : 1A
1 year, 2 months ago

Carl Hiaasen, Banned Books, And Censorship In Schools : 1A

NPR  

Carl Hiaasen, Banned Books, And Censorship In Schools Enlarge this image toggle caption Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images Since she was little, Iris Mogul has always loved reading. When The 16-year-old junior at the Academy Academy for Advanced Academics in South Florida learned that her English teacher was considering not teaching a Toni Morrison book because of the state's …

How school book bans exploded — with front lines in Southern California too
1 year, 3 months ago

How school book bans exploded — with front lines in Southern California too

LA Times  

Good morning, and welcome to the L.A. Times Book Club newsletter. “As a librarian, having worked in the city for 32 years and since I’ve retired, I have never, not once, had anyone come up to me and say, ‘You know what, my child’s life was ruined because of a book they checked out of the library.’ It didn’t start …

Florida schools remove books by John Milton and Toni Morrison and restrict Shakespeare under DeSantis rules
1 year, 5 months ago

Florida schools remove books by John Milton and Toni Morrison and restrict Shakespeare under DeSantis rules

The Independent  

Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Over …

Commentary: Are book bans unconstitutional? They are certainly political
1 year, 6 months ago

Commentary: Are book bans unconstitutional? They are certainly political

LA Times  

A student holds a sign that reads “Stop Book Banning” at a rally at a Florida school district meeting. of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond early this month jointly issued a five-page warning to California’s school superintendents reminding them that the U.S. Constitution restricts the removal of books from libraries and curriculum. They also noted that the state education code requires …

Illinois becomes the first state in the U.S. to ban book bans
1 year, 6 months ago

Illinois becomes the first state in the U.S. to ban book bans

NPR  

Illinois becomes the first state in the U.S. to ban book bans In Illinois, there's now a ban on banning books. STEVE INSKEEP, HOST: The battle over what books should be in public schools and libraries may be over, at least in the state of Illinois because the state is the first to ban banning books. ALEX DEGMAN, BYLINE: Illinois …

Presidential hopeful DeSantis inspires push to make book bans easier in Republican-controlled states
1 year, 6 months ago

Presidential hopeful DeSantis inspires push to make book bans easier in Republican-controlled states

Associated Press  

Follow live: Updates from AP’s coverage of the presidential election. The book version remains available to the middle school students, but Gorman criticized the decision to restrict it for younger grades, saying it robbed “children of the chance to find their voices in literature.” While efforts to ban books or censor education material have come up sporadically over the years, …

Majority of book ban requests were made by only 11 people: analysis
1 year, 7 months ago

Majority of book ban requests were made by only 11 people: analysis

Raw Story  

Right-wing activists have been working in recent years to remove what they say are objectionable books from local libraries -- but it turns out that a tiny number of them are responsible for most of the book ban requests. Analysis conducted by the Washington Post found that only 11 people were responsible for more than half of more than 1,000 …

Penguin Random House, human rights group, authors and parents sue Florida school district over book bans
1 year, 7 months ago

Penguin Random House, human rights group, authors and parents sue Florida school district over book bans

The Independent  

Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy A school district and school board in Florida’s Escambia County …

Major publisher sues over DeSantis-sanctioned book bans
1 year, 7 months ago

Major publisher sues over DeSantis-sanctioned book bans

Raw Story  

A writers group and major publisher have sued a Florida school district over its Ron DeSantis-sanctioned removal of books about race and LGBTQ+ identities. PEN America and Penguin Random House filed a federal lawsuit Wednesday against the Escambia County School District and its school board alleging a violation of their First Amendment rights for removing 10 books from library shelves, …

PEN America, Penguin Random House sue Florida school district over book bans
1 year, 7 months ago

PEN America, Penguin Random House sue Florida school district over book bans

Associated Press  

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Writers’ group PEN America and publisher Penguin Random House sued a Florida school district Wednesday over its removal of books about race and LGBTQ+ identities, the latest opposition to a policy central to Gov. Censorship, in the form of book bans like those enacted by Escambia County, are a direct threat to democracy and our Constitutional rights,” …

The 15 most banned books in America this school year
1 year, 7 months ago

The 15 most banned books in America this school year

LA Times  

The recent surge in book bans in U.S. school districts and libraries is the latest front in a long-running battle that has swept up even literary masterpieces of John Steinbeck, J.D. Also removed were nine books from James Patterson’s “Maximum Ride” series and two books by Nobel Prize winner Toni Morrison, among other titles. Nevertheless, the book was challenged as …

America’s book bans have already come for prisons
1 year, 7 months ago

America’s book bans have already come for prisons

The Independent  

The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Just because a state doesn’t explicitly …

Biden lambasts book ban attempts in remarks to teachers: ‘Empty shelves don’t help kids learn very much’
1 year, 7 months ago

Biden lambasts book ban attempts in remarks to teachers: ‘Empty shelves don’t help kids learn very much’

The Independent  

Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. And I’ve never met a parent who wants a politician dictating what their kid …

The book ban surge gripping America’s schools and libraries
1 year, 7 months ago

The book ban surge gripping America’s schools and libraries

The Independent  

The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. PEN has described the measures collectively as part …

Book bans in US schools increased by 28 per cent in the first half of the school year, says new report
1 year, 7 months ago

Book bans in US schools increased by 28 per cent in the first half of the school year, says new report

The Independent  

The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. The number of book bans grew by 28 …

Book bans are on the rise in U.S. schools, fueled by new laws in Republican-led states
1 year, 8 months ago

Book bans are on the rise in U.S. schools, fueled by new laws in Republican-led states

LA Times  

Maia Kobabe, author of “Gender Queer: A Memoir,” poses for a portrait with the book, which was one of the most banned titles in U.S. schools last year. Fearing criminal penalties, public schools throughout Missouri removed hundreds of books from their libraries after state lawmakers last year made it illegal to provide students with “sexually explicit” material — a law …

Florida expands ‘Don’t Say Gay’ education ban to all grades
1 year, 8 months ago

Florida expands ‘Don’t Say Gay’ education ban to all grades

Al Jazeera  

Ban in US state bars classroom discussion of gender identity and sexual orientation through high school. The Florida Board of Education has approved a ban on classroom instruction about sexual orientation and gender identity in all grades, expanding the law critics call “Don’t Say Gay” at the request of Governor Ron DeSantis as he gears up for an expected presidential …

Florida expands ‘Don’t Say Gay’ through 12th grade while House OKs anti-LGBTQ bills
1 year, 8 months ago

Florida expands ‘Don’t Say Gay’ through 12th grade while House OKs anti-LGBTQ bills

LA Times  

Ron DeSantis signs a bill he called the Parental Rights in Education bill in 2022. Ron DeSantis added more wins to his agenda targeting the LGBTQ+ community as a state board approved an expansion of what critics call the “Don’t Say Gay” law Wednesday, and the House passed bills on gender-transition treatments, bathroom use and keeping children out of drag …

Florida bill would instantly ban books based on a single objection from one resident
1 year, 8 months ago

Florida bill would instantly ban books based on a single objection from one resident

Raw Story  

Florida has attracted nationwide controversy as new censorship measures put in place by Gov. As Greg Sargent noted in The Washington Post on Wednesday, a new bill advancing in the legislature with DeSantis' support could formally require schools to ban any book, pending review, if even a single parent complains about it. "The provision is buried in a bill that’s …

Book ban attempts hit record high in 2022, library org says
1 year, 9 months ago

Book ban attempts hit record high in 2022, library org says

Associated Press  

NEW YORK — Attempted book bans and restrictions at school and public libraries continue to surge, setting a record in 2022, according to a new report from the American Library Association released Thursday. “Every day professional librarians sit down with parents to thoughtfully determine what reading material is best suited for their child’s needs,” ALA President Lessa Kanani’opua Pelayo-Lozada said …

US saw record book-banning efforts in 2022, library group says
1 year, 9 months ago

US saw record book-banning efforts in 2022, library group says

Al Jazeera  

Conservative groups are trying to restrict availability or ban books covering topics such as race and gender identity. “Every day professional librarians sit down with parents to thoughtfully determine what reading material is best suited for their child’s needs,” ALA President Lessa Kanani’opua Pelayo-Lozada said in a statement. In Florida, where Governor Ron DeSantis has approved laws to review reading …

DeSantis administration moves to extend prohibition on teaching sexual orientation and gender identity to all grades
1 year, 9 months ago

DeSantis administration moves to extend prohibition on teaching sexual orientation and gender identity to all grades

CNN  

CNN — The administration of Gov. Ron DeSantis this month quietly proposed extending Florida’s controversial prohibition on classroom instruction related to sexual orientation and gender identity to all grades. DeSantis last year signed into law a measure that banned such instruction through fourth grade, arguing at the time that young children should not be exposed to concepts like gender identity. …

Ron DeSantis' claims about book ban 'hoax' meticulously debunked
1 year, 9 months ago

Ron DeSantis' claims about book ban 'hoax' meticulously debunked

Raw Story  

Ron DeSantis has been pushing back on the mounting criticism of his policies regarding books in public schools, claiming in a press conference this month that it's a "hoax" Florida is engaging in mass book bans. For starters, noted Legum, DeSantis claimed that Brian Covey, the former Duval County substitute teacher, was fired for pushing the "hoax" that school shelves …

Author targeted by Florida book bans shreds 'truly egregious' censorship
1 year, 9 months ago

Author targeted by Florida book bans shreds 'truly egregious' censorship

Raw Story  

Faced with mounting backlash, Gov. These topics aren't explicitly prohibited under DeSantis' new laws, Picoult said — but the laws effectively lets any parent challenge any book for any reason, without having to explain what the inappropriate content is, and teachers are ordered to "err on the side of caution" and remove all sorts of books for review, under threat …

Sharpton to DeSantis: Stop censoring Black history
1 year, 10 months ago

Sharpton to DeSantis: Stop censoring Black history

Associated Press  

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — The Rev. Not to not only know how bad you were, but to know how strong they are,” Sharpton told the crowd, adding, “If you would study history, governor, you would have known to mess with us and education always ends in your defeat.” Ahead of an expected White House run, DeSantis has continued to focus on …

I’m a teacher in Florida. Here’s what the DeSantis book bans look like in my classroom
1 year, 10 months ago

I’m a teacher in Florida. Here’s what the DeSantis book bans look like in my classroom

The Independent  

Get Nadine White's Race Report newsletter for a fresh perspective on the week's news Get our free newsletter from The Independent's Race Correspondent Get our free newsletter from The Independent's Race Correspondent SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. The next day my first group of students entered and immediately asked, …

Ron DeSantis ban forces Florida teachers to remove books from classrooms
1 year, 10 months ago

Ron DeSantis ban forces Florida teachers to remove books from classrooms

The Independent  

Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. The new guidelines, issued by Duval County Public …

Florida school district begins ‘cataloging’ books to comply with DeSantis-backed law
1 year, 10 months ago

Florida school district begins ‘cataloging’ books to comply with DeSantis-backed law

CNN  

CNN — Efforts are underway in Florida counties to comply with a law championed by Republican Gov. Manatee County School District teachers are experiencing “fear” and “confusion” as the district works to implement HB 1467, which requires that books be pre-approved materials or vetted by a media specialist trained by Florida’s Department of Education, according to Pat Barber, president of …

Florida county bans kids’ book about gay penguins as schools cite DeSantis’ ‘Don’t Say Gay’ law to erase LGBTQ themes
1 year, 11 months ago

Florida county bans kids’ book about gay penguins as schools cite DeSantis’ ‘Don’t Say Gay’ law to erase LGBTQ themes

Raw Story  

Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis claimed his "Don't Say Gay" law only applied to "classroom instruction" in kindergarten through third grade, and only prohibited "sexual instruction," but his Dept. One Florida school system, Lake County, which includes about 60 public schools, has banned "And Tango Makes Three," according to Popular Information's Judd Legum. Popular Information quotes DeSantis defending his discriminatory …

"Statewide book bans" are coming to Florida's classrooms, enforced by the far right
2 years, 2 months ago

"Statewide book bans" are coming to Florida's classrooms, enforced by the far right

Salon  

In early August, a video posted on TikTok by a Tennessee elementary school teacher went viral. But according to a new Tennessee law, the "Age Appropriate Materials Act," she was required to catalog every book in her classroom, then send it for several rounds of review and post a final list of approved books online for parents to scrutinize, before …

Discover Related