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The Florida Department of Education is warning district staff to "err on the side of caution" when choosing books for their school libraries. In new guidance up for a vote, librarians are warned to avoid books that contain “unsolicited theories that may lead to student indoctrination."
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Among the titles that prison staff deemed were too inflammatory for incarcerated Floridians to read include cook books, French and Arabic language dictionaries, and a guide on how to survive solitary confinement.
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According to PEN America, a growing number of local political and advocacy groups have focused their attacks on books featuring LGBTQ+ characters and characters of color.
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School districts across Florida are trying to figure out how to comply with new state laws that restrict how schools can teach about sexual orientation, gender identity, race and discrimination. In Palm Beach County schools, teachers are being told to review the books in their classroom libraries for references to racism and sexism.
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The special copy of Margaret Atwood's dystopian novel The Handmaid's Tale was auctioned by Sotheby's on Tuesday. Proceeds will help PEN America in its efforts to oppose book banning.
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The Orlando Sentinel reports that the Florida Department of Education is investigating who purchased the book Gender Queer: A Memoir for the Orange County Schools library system.
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There have been more than 200 book bans across Florida in the past year, according to a report by the advocacy group PEN America. Many of the targeted books are centered around people of color and LGBTQ characters.
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Activist Chaz Stevens says the book isn't age appropriate and contains references to rape and bestiality. It's a not-so-subtle dig at Florida's recent efforts to ban books.
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The rejected books make up a record 41% of the 132 books submitted for review, the Florida Department of Education said in a statement.
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The American Library Association says libraries faced the highest number of book challenges since they started tracking in 2000. Maia Kobabe's Gender Queer topped their list of most challenged books.
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While many Florida school districts are facing complaints about books deemed inappropriate for minors, not all officials are in full support of banning them.