700+ Books Removed From FL Schools Last Year: See Full List

FLORIDA — More than 700 book titles were removed from Florida public schools during the 2023-24 school year, according to a new list released by the Florida Department of Education.

That’s an increase of nearly 400 books over the previous 2022-23 school year, Central Florida Public Media said.

Titles included “The Bluest Eye” by Toni Morrison, “Forever” by Judi Blume and “Slaughterhouse-Five” by Kurt Vonnegut.

Other books removed from shelves in Florida districts include Margaret Atwood's "The Handmaid's Tale," Maya Angelou's "I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings," "Sophie's Choice" by William Styron, "The Color Purple" by Alice Walker, Ayn Rand's "Fountainhead" and several titles by Stephen King, UPI said.

(See the full list at the bottom of this story.)

• Also Read: FL Book Bans Leads U.S. For Second Year In A Row

“A lot of them (the schools) removed many, many books, including classic literature and literature that regularly appears on the AP exams and prepares our students for college level coursework. We're removing all of these books,” Stephana Ferrell, co-founder of the Florida Freedom to Read Project, which tracks book challenges in the state, said.

Sydney Booker, a spokesperson for the state’s Department of Education, told The Washington Postthe stage does not have a ban.

“There are no books banned in Florida, and sexually explicit materials do not belong in schools,” she wrote in a statement. “Once again, far left activists are pushing the book ban hoax on Floridians. The better question is why do these activists continue to fight to expose children to sexually explicit materials.”

State education officials released the full list of books removed from schools on the heels of a PEN America report that showed Florida led the U.S. in book bans for the second year in a row.

During the 2023-24 school year, PEN America, a nonprofit advocacy group working to protect the freedom to read, write and learn, recorded 10,046 instances of book bans involving more than 4,000 unique titles across the country.

Florida was responsible for more than 4,500 or more than 45 percent of all bans, the report said. Thirty-three school districts in the state banned books during the school year.

Recent changes to state law have empowered parents and residents to challenge school library books and required districts to submit an annual report to the state detailing which books have been restricted in their schools. Florida continues to lead the country in pulling books from school libraries, according to analyses by the American Library Association and the advocacy group PEN America.

“A restriction of access is a restriction on one’s freedom to read,” said Kasey Meehan of PEN America. “Students lose the ability to access books that mirror their own lived experiences, to access books that help them learn and empathize with people who … have different life experiences.”

Many of the books targeted feature LGBTQ+ characters, discussion of gender or sexuality, and people of color.

“Everywhere from Toni Morrison, Alice Walker, ‘Slaughterhouse-Five’, George Orwell,” Farrell said. “If you take the time to look at that list, you will recognize that there is an issue with … this movement.”

This story features reporting by The Associated Press.