In a recent legal battle, Penguin Random House, renowned authors, concerned parents, and a prominent free speech group have filed a lawsuit against the Escambia County School District and the Escambia County School Board in Pensacola, Florida. The lawsuit stems from the district’s removal of ten books associated with topics of race and the LGBTQ community following a complaint from a high school teacher.
The plaintiffs argue that the district and the board have violated the First Amendment by depriving students of access to diverse viewpoints and denying authors the opportunity to engage with their readers and convey their ideas. Furthermore, they contend that the removals infringe upon the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment, as the books being targeted disproportionately represent non-white and/or LGBTQ authors or address issues related to race and LGBTQ identity.
The lawsuit highlights a deliberate agenda to expunge any discussion of racial discrimination or LGBTQ matters from public school libraries, emphasizing that government actions cannot be driven by discriminatory motives. While the district and the school board have not yet responded to the lawsuit, a member of the school board claims to have been following state law and removing books deemed inappropriate or pornographic.
The controversy surrounding book removals in the Escambia County School District traces back to a language arts teacher, Vicki Baggett, who initially challenged Stephen Chbosky’s “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” in May of last year. Baggett expanded her efforts in the fall, targeting over 100 books with “questionable content,” leading to a district-wide book purge.
Since then, the district and the school board have either removed or restricted access to books authored by the plaintiffs, including works such as “Uncle Bobby’s Wedding” by Sarah Brannen, “All Boys Aren’t Blue” by George M. Johnson, “Two Boys Kissing” by David Levithan, “When Aidan Became a Brother” by Kyle Lukoff, and “Out of Darkness” by Ashley Hope Pérez. Numerous other titles, totaling over 100, now require parental approval for access.
Suzanne Nossel, CEO of PEN America, the lead plaintiff in the lawsuit, emphasizes that the freedom to read is constitutionally guaranteed and condemns the removal of books as an attempt to suppress diverse voices. Lindsay Durtschi, one of the plaintiffs and an Escambia County parent, highlights the harm caused to children by the lack of diverse representation in literature and inclusive dialogue.
The lawsuit against the Escambia County School District sheds light on a broader issue of book censorship. The American Library Association’s latest annual book censorship report reveals a concerning trend with 1,269 challenges to over 2,500 books last year, marking the highest number of attempted book bans since tracking began in 2001. Of the thirteen books listed as the most challenged, seven titles, including three of the top four, faced challenges due to their LGBTQ content. The fight for inclusivity and the preservation of free speech continues in the face of these ongoing challenges.