When the latest wave of classroom censorship gained momentum, Florida stood out. Don’t Say Gay and Stop W.O.K.E. seemed like extreme — perhaps even laughable — attempts to turn back the clock on diversity and inclusion and raise the national profile of Gov. Ron DeSantis. But we recognized the playbook DeSantis was borrowing from; we’ve seen repressive governments in Hungary, Russia, and beyond attack the educational sector and the freedom to read, so we knew the threats were real and growing. Two years ago, we partnered with a group of bestselling authors to establish a PEN America Florida office, aiming to combat censorship at its source. Today, that fight continues under the direction of our new Florida Director, William Johnson. After several years leading PEN America’s Membership and National Engagement teams, William is bringing his passion and vision to building a statewide community committed to defending books and the freedom to read.
Our latest report, The Blueprint State, a joint project with the Florida Freedom to Read Project, warns that the “parental rights” agenda has reshaped education in Florida and is now being exported nationwide. The state’s laws allow any parent, or in some cases, any resident, to file a complaint with their local school district about a book containing any so-called “sexual conduct,” triggering its immediate removal until the complaint is resolved. The Florida Department of Education must then publish a list of all removed titles—essentially creating an unofficial blacklist. Districts take note, and even books that haven’t been challenged locally begin disappearing from school shelves.
And what do Florida families actually want? Our report makes this clear: 100% of families in 19 school districts and at least 99% in 13 more chose to grant their children full access to their school libraries. But those choices are rendered meaningless by laws that allow a single objection to override the preferences of thousands.
In Hillsborough County, this dynamic recently came into full view. Following pressure from state officials—including threatening letters from Attorney General James Uthmeier and Education Commissioner Manny Diaz Jr.—the school superintendent ordered 600 titles removed for review. In a scene reminiscent of McCarthy-era hearings, district leaders were publicly chastised, and media specialists were accused of being “child abusers.”
This is the Florida model—and now, it’s being pitched as a national playbook. The current administration has dismissed book bans as hoaxes while cutting funding for programs that address race, gender, and historical complexity. These are dangerous times for literature, education, and democracy.
That’s why PEN America’s work on the ground in Florida has never been more vital. In addition to bringing legal challenges, such as our lawsuit against the Escambia County School District for unconstitutional book removals, our Florida office has become a hub of direct action. We’ve launched awareness campaigns that have made headlines in the Miami Herald and Miami New Times; partnered with local groups to defend freedom of expression in schools and libraries; and organized dynamic public programming to rally communities in support of the freedom to read. From our action campaign confronting the Hillsborough book removals to a statewide series of events celebrating LGBTQ+ stories and storytellers, PEN America’s Florida office is demonstrating what it means to push back.
Only by standing together can we stop these pernicious laws from spreading. Together, we can ensure that the stories our children read reflect the full complexity of our world, and that no one voice can silence the many.
(PS- If you are a Florida resident you can take action and write a letter to your state representative about the Hillsborough book removals)
