In an order that sets a strong precedent for keeping books on public school library shelves, the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida has upheld the freedom to read in Penguin Random House v. Gibson. Filed in August 2024, the lawsuit challenges key provisions of Florida House Bill 1069, which was signed into law by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis in May 2023 and purports to bar “pornographic” materials and content that “depicts or describes sexual content” from school and classroom libraries.
As a result of HB 1069, Florida has made it possible for parents to register objections to public school materials. The challenged materials are then removed from K–12 student access, ostensibly for review and often on the basis of words and sentences taken out of context.
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