Introduction to the Controversy
Upset that “pornographic” novels were in public school libraries, state leaders demanded administrators remove 55 books from their shelves, and Orange County Public Schools complied last month. But newly obtained library data shows many of those books were rarely, if ever, checked out by students during the past academic year.
The Reality of Book Checkouts
OCPS had 41 of the books on the state list in circulation during the 2024-25 school year, district data shows. Twenty-two of the books were never checked out from any of the district’s schools. The 19 that were checked out left the shelves fewer than 10 times each in a district with almost 60,000 high school students.
State Demands and School Response
The state’s push to rid schools of the 55 books — documented first in a threatening letter from Florida’s attorney general to Hillsborough County schools — frustrated some Orange school leaders who called it a “non-issue” given that most of the books never got checked out. But it also prompted worries from some First Amendment advocates who are alarmed that the state, which already leads the nation in school book bans, demanded specific books be yanked from schools based on out-of-context passages some found objectionable.
Impact on Reading Habits
“Our children spend a lot more time on social media platforms than ever before — and gaming. That has taken away from reading,” said Superintendent Maria Vazquez. If OCPS students are reading, they aren’t getting books from school libraries as much anymore. Book checkouts are down by almost one million since 2016. Elementary school students on average check out almost 20 books a year from school libraries — but high school students just one.
Examples of Targeted Books
The book on the state’s list that was checked out the most in Orange was “Storm and Fury” by Jennifer L. Armentrout, a fantasy novel about a woman who can communicate with ghosts that includes sexually explicit scenes. It was checked out nine times in total from the five OCPS high schools that had it on library shelves. By comparison, the most checked-out book in OCPS last school year was “Treasure in the Lake” by Jason Pamment, a graphic novel about two friends who discover a hidden city. It is meant for children in grades 3 to 6 and was checked out 4,987 times.
Reactions from State and School Officials
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier called books on the list “patently pornographic” and said Hillsborough’s failure to remove them “put children at risk,” a charge repeated by then Education Commissioner Manny Diaz. A spokesperson for the Florida Department of Education, after being told how few OCPS students checked out the targeted books, repeated the same point. “Minor children should not have access to pornographic materials, let alone have access to those materials in publicly funded schools,” Sydney Booker said in an email Thursday.
Concerns Over State Overreach
But Melissa Byrd, an Orange County School Board member, called it a “non-issue that was made an issue because it’s political,” given the limited checkouts. Board member Angie Gallo agreed, saying at the June 16 meeting where the board authorized the books removal that “there’s been way too much time … spent on something that very few people are reading” when “at the heart of what’s happening to our children really is the internet and our phones.” Gallo also said the state’s demands were an “overreach” that made her “very uncomfortable and very nervous.”
First Amendment Advocates’ Worries
First Amendment advocates were also upset, worried the state was stomping on local school boards’ authority and wrongly labeling any sexual descriptions in novels as “pornographic.” Stephana Ferrell, the co-director of the Florida Freedom to Read Project, which was formed to fight book bans, said she fears the list of 55 is just a start and the state will next try to remove books in higher circulation. “They picked what they thought were 55 books nobody would miss. And so the fact that your data shows that there isn’t a lot of checkouts here is kind of the point, right?” she said.
New State Laws and Training
New state laws passed in 2022 and 2023 put heightened scrutiny on school library books, requiring media specialists — teachers with additional library training — to review and approve all books in classroom collections and school libraries and to exclude those that include pornography or “sexual conduct.” New state training for media specialists also warned them to “err on the side of caution” when approving books and that they can face criminal penalties and lose their teaching certificates if they approve inappropriate books.
Decline in Reading for Pleasure
But despite the controversies, far fewer students are reading for pleasure. A study by Pew Research Center found that the percentage of 9-, 13- and 17-year-olds who said they read for fun “almost every day” has been declining for decades. Margeaux Aydt, a 2024 Winter Park High School graduate, said she never checked out books from school libraries. Now a student at the University of Central Florida, Aydt also said she didn’t read for pleasure in high school.
Evolution of School Libraries
The media center at Winter Park was often used for standardized testing, so it never seemed available for students to come in, she said. “No one was ever really in there,” Aydt said. Some teachers used to suggest students find resources for assignments in the library, but with information more freely available online that has “completely gone away,” she added. Allison Kibbey, the district’s director of instructional technology and library media, said school libraries have tried to meet the digital demand by highlighting what books can be checked out on e-readers.
Conclusion
The controversy over the removal of 55 books from school libraries in Orange County, Florida, highlights broader issues regarding reading habits, state overreach, and the evolving role of school libraries. While state leaders have pushed for the removal of books deemed “pornographic,” data shows that many of these books were rarely checked out by students. This raises questions about the priorities of state leaders and the impact of their actions on students’ access to information and their reading habits.
FAQs
Q: How many books were removed from Orange County school libraries?
A: 55 books were targeted for removal by the state, and Orange County Public Schools complied with the demand.
Q: How often were these books checked out by students?
A: Many of the books were rarely or never checked out, with 22 books never being checked out and the 19 that were checked out leaving the shelves fewer than 10 times each.
Q: What is the state’s reasoning behind removing these books?
A: The state claims that the books are “patently pornographic” and that their presence in school libraries puts children at risk.
Q: How have students’ reading habits changed in recent years?
A: Students are reading fewer books for pleasure, with book checkouts down by almost one million since 2016, and high school students checking out an average of just one book per year.
Q: What efforts are being made to address the decline in reading for pleasure?
A: School libraries are trying to meet the digital demand by highlighting e-books and other digital resources, but more needs to be done to encourage students to read for pleasure.
