Major Publishers Sue Florida Over Banned School Library Books

A state law limits sexual content in school libraries. But several publishing companies say it has led to a “regime of strict censorship” in school districts.

Several large American publishers sued Florida education officials on Thursday over a state law that prohibits sexual content in school libraries. They argue that the law has ignited a wave of book removals in violation of the First Amendment.

The Florida law, enacted last year, requires school districts to allow parents and other residents to limit children’s access to library materials. The lawsuit — filed by Penguin Random House, the nation’s biggest publisher, and other companies — argues that the rule has caused a blanket purge of hundreds of books across the state, and created a “regime of strict censorship in school libraries.”

The suit, filed in federal court in Orlando, is the latest dispute over whether schools should let children read books that touch on themes of race, gender or sexual orientation. Conflicts over what reading material is appropriate for children have emerged in a number of states, but Florida has become an epicenter for these fights under the leadership of Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican, and the state’s Republican-controlled Legislature.

Supporters of the regulations say their goals are to safeguard students from obscene content and give families more control over their children’s education. But they have faced sharp criticism from free speech organizations and authors over the restrictions, and the state’s school districts face several other lawsuits over them.

The lawsuit filed on Thursday argues that many “timeless classics” and best-selling novels are being indiscriminately tossed from school library shelves.

Those books include “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” by Maya Angelou, “Their Eyes Were Watching God” by Zora Neale Hurston and “Slaughterhouse-Five” by Kurt Vonnegut, according to the suit.