PEN America

For the second year in a row, Florida removed more books from school libraries than any other state, according to PEN America.

Book bans are increasing in classrooms and libraries across the country. This week, there's an effort to raise awareness about nationwide book restrictions. It's called Banned Books Week and goes through Sept. 28. WLRN’s Ammy Sanchez spoke with Katie Blankenship, inaugural director of PEN America’s Florida office.

A coalition of major publishing houses, along with several prominent authors, students, and parents, filed a lawsuit Thursday against Florida public school officials. It challenges the state's controversial 2023 law, which has led to the widespread removal of books from public school libraries.

The free expression group analyzed Florida’s culture war laws over the years. They released 'The Florida Effect,' a report arguing that legislation in Florida under Gov. Ron DeSantis is influencing the country on issues such as LGBTQ rights and anti-protest bills.

Judy Blume, James Patterson and Michael Connelly are among 24 prominent writers who have raised more than $3 million to help PEN America open a center in Miami and expand it efforts to counter Florida’s surge in book bannings in recent years.

Attorneys for New College of Florida is threatening to sue a group of former faculty members and students because they have formed an alternative online institute named “Alt New College."

According to PEN America, during the 2022–23 school year, Florida's public schools banned more than 1,400 books across 33 school districts.

Between July and December 2022, the free speech advocacy group PEN America reports Florida school districts banned 357 titles.

The event comes as state lawmakers seek to limit what topics can be taught at Florida's public colleges and universities.

PEN America and two other free speech groups are calling for school officials in Florida to reinstate a high school production of Paula Vogel's Indecent, a play that is itself about censorship.