Florida school districts removed approximately 300 books from library shelves last school year, according to a list of removed books released by the state’s education department.Matt Lavietes
In response to an email from NBC News seeking comment on the list and referring to the removed titles as “banned books,” Caily Myers, a spokesperson for the Florida Department of Education, said, “Florida does not ban books.” Jennifer DeShazo, a spokesperson for the Martin County School District, said the district removed the books in order to comply with the implementation of the Parental Rights in Education act, which critics have dubbed the “Don’t Say Gay” law. The measure, which took effect in July of last year, restricts the instruction of LGBTQ issues in the state’s schools.
The spokesperson, Terri Dennis, said in an email that one county resident was responsible for “approximately 94%” of the book challenges. The Parental Rights in Education act, which was signed by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis last year, prohibited the instruction at public schools of sexual orientation or gender identity “in kindergarten through grade 3 or in a manner that is not age appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students in accordance with state standards.