(MIAMI)— In response to unforeseen prohibitions on secondary health curriculum, four organizations – Florida Freedom to Read Project (FFTRP), PEN America, EveryLibrary, and National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC) – are reminding district leaders that the state Attorney General’s Office has itself argued before the courts that limits on classroom curriculum may not apply “in the very different setting of a school library.”
The organizations are concerned that the same over-application efforts made in recent years to comply with “parental rights” laws like HB 1557 – misunderstandings that removed all LGBTQ+ representation from K-8 libraries in Charlotte County during the 23/24 school year – will happen again without proper guidance and oversight by district leaders.
In an open letter to Florida Superintendents and School Board Attorneys, the groups said: “The state limitations on reproductive health and HIV/AIDS education have created a curriculum that falls short of most parents’ expectations. Students have a right to expand their education beyond the classroom and within the boundaries set by their parents, not the state. Our school libraries help ensure all students have access to the learning opportunities that they seek and need. Please protect that access.”
In response to seeing the new state limits on her own child’s middle school curriculum, Stephana Ferrell, Director of Research and Insight for Florida Freedom to Read Project, said: “As a parent of children in Orange County Public Schools, I no longer have the option to decide whether or not they receive timely and necessary information about consent, contraceptives, and prenatal development from a trusted educator – the state has made that decision for me. Having this information available in our public schools is essential to protecting the overall health and wellbeing of our communities. It’s imperative that our school libraries fulfill the need that our classrooms no longer can.”
Christine Emeran, director, Youth Free Expression Program at the National Coalition Against Censorship added, “Every student deserves the freedom to explore, learn, and think without the limits of censorship—our libraries and curricula must remain spaces of open expression and informed choice, where age-appropriate resources are curated by trusted professionals, not imposed by politicians.”
Katie Blankenship, PEN America’s Florida senior director and counsel, said, “Florida has been winning the race to ban books for far too long, and the cuts to sex education are not only dangerous, but ripe for over-application and likely to lead to more books being ripped from the shelves. Florida’s leadership should be focused on shoring up public education and restoring books to libraries – not targeting critical curriculum.”
Young people deserve to know about their bodies as well as how to protect themselves from predators, disease, and unplanned pregnancy. They will seek out answers to their questions, and our school can leaders can impact whether or not they find what they’re looking for from a trusted source for accurate information. Our school libraries, curated by educational professionals, can and should be places to receive this information while also offering parents the opportunity to set unique limits. It is our hope that district leaders provide educators with the necessary guidance and support to retain this critical information in our libraries.
The Florida Freedom to Read Project is a parent-led, volunteer organization that works to protect education access in the state of Florida. We advocate for a public school system that prioritizes student learning over political agendas and resists censorship-driven movements that seek to limit access to information.
PEN America stands at the intersection of literature and human rights to protect free expression in the United States and worldwide. We champion the freedom to write, recognizing the power of the word to transform the world. Our mission is to unite writers and their allies to celebrate creative expression and defend the liberties that make it possible. Contact: Suzanne Trimel, [email protected]. 201-247-5057
EveryLibrary is the first and only national organization dedicated to building voter support for libraries. They are chartered to promote public, school, and college libraries, including by advocating in support of public funding for libraries, building public awareness of public funding initiatives, and helping Americans fight censorship in their communities.
The National Coalition Against Censorship, since its inception in 1974, has functioned as a first responder in protecting freedom of expression, a fundamental human right and a keystone of democracy. Representing 60 national education, publishing, and arts organizations, NCAC encourages and facilitates dialogue between diverse voices, perspectives, and audiences.