Florida finds itself at the center of a heated cultural and political debate, with more than 700 books removed from school shelves. The list, which also includes best sellers such as Margaret Atwood’s dystopian novel, “The Handmaid’s Tale”, “The shadow of the scorpion” by Stephen King or “Fight Club” by Chuck Palahniuk, reflects the impact of new state laws that aim to regulate content in school libraries.
The controversy revolves around the HB 1069 Actapproved in July 2023, which allows parents and citizens to challenge any material considered “pornographic” or “inappropriate”. If on the one hand the state government claims to protect minors, on the other critics and associations denounce a climate of censorship that threatens cultural diversity and the right to education.
The context
According to the Florida Department of Education, HB 1069 forces schools to remove controversial materials, responding to requests from parents concerned about content deemed inappropriate. The spokesperson of the Department, Sydney Bookersaid, “There have been no book bans in Florida. Our priority is to remove explicitly sexual materials from schools“.
However, the list of removed books tells a different story: not only sexually themed works, but also texts that address issues such as racism, gender identity and African-American history. Among the titles stand out “Young Holden” by JD Salinger and “I know why the caged bird sings” by Maya Angelou, which tells the story of the life of a little black girl in racist America in the 1930s.
According to the official report, the materials were removed or discontinued by school districts in response to objections raised by parents of students or residents of the county where the school district is located. The report includes the title and author of the material, the grade level where the material was removed, as well as the school district that discontinued or removed the material. As required by Section 1006.28(2)(e) of the Florida Statutes, the Florida Department of Education is required to collect this information and provide the report to school districts for their consideration in selecting instructional materials for students for l the 2023-2024 school year.
The voices of critics: “An unprecedented censorship”
Groups like the Florida Freedom to Read Project they reported an unprecedented increase in school censorship. In a statement, the group stressed: “We believe in fair and public process, not parochial censorship inspired by vague laws and ‘bad books’ lists like this one.”
Second Hirokazu Yoshikawaprofessor at New York University and co-author of a study on the effects of censorship policies, the phenomenon has repercussions on the entire school community. “These restrictions inflict collective harm, limiting access to learning opportunities and creating a climate of fear and stress for students and teachers“he declared.
The consequences on students
The study conducted by New York University interviewed more than 80 teachers, students and parents, revealing a “limitation effect”: a tendency to avoid discussions about sensitive topics for fear of legal or social repercussions.
For example, the use of preferred pronouns and the sharing of personal information related to gender identity have decreased dramatically. This phenomenon, according to researchers, can negatively affect students’ mental health, depriving them of a safe and inclusive school environment.
Cultural and educational damage
Many teachers therethey increase the impoverishment of school programs. Works that address crucial themes such as racism, immigration or civil rights are eliminated, depriving students of fundamental tools for understand the complexity of the modern world.
Yoshikawa points out: “While education policies should expand learning opportunities, these measures are reducing them, affecting all students, not just the targeted groups.”
“This is not just a battle for books,” says Yoshikawa. “It’s a fight for the future of education and democracy in the United States.”
The evolution of this controversy could define the American educational landscape in the coming years, raising a fundamental question: Who has the right to decide what is right or wrong to read?
