ORLANDO, Fla. — Florida’s school librarians face new scrutiny, and even the threat of criminal prosecution, under a new state rule adopted Wednesday that urges them to “err on the side of caution” when selecting books for their campuses.
The rule approved by the State Board of Education stems from a new 2022 state law pushed by Republican leaders. Critics say it will have a “chilling effect” on educators and will allow those with conservative views to dictate what books all Florida students can select at their schools.
Ahead of the board’s vote, Orange County Superintendent Maria Vazquez said Tuesday that her district had pulled three books, all dealing with sex or sexual themes, from school libraries after reviewing the state’s new training for media specialists required under the new rule.
