Today, the National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC) raises serious concerns about the removal of books from Florida’s Hillsborough County Schools under Florida’s HB 1069 and related state guidance. Removing books solely because of disagreement with their viewpoints violates the First Amendment, as does restricting access based on vague or overly broad content categories. A recent ruling by the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida affirmed these principles, finding key provisions of HB 1069 unconstitutional and confirming that the decision applies to school districts’ book removal practices.
According to news reports, the district removed 608 titles from school library shelves pending review for compliance with state law, with 59 books permanently removed. However, the district has not disclosed the status or location of the remaining 549 titles. NCAC objects to the indefinite withholding of books during prolonged reviews, as neither the First Amendment nor the court ruling permits books to remain in permanent purgatory.
NCAC requests clarification on the status of unreleased books, a clear timeline for completing reviews, and assurance that review standards align with the binding federal court ruling.
Read NCAC’s full letter to the Hillsborough County School Board here:
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