Outrage as Florida school district bans dictionaries and encyclopedias over 'sexual conduct' description

ESCAMBIA COUNTY, FLORIDA: The Escambia County School District, located in Florida's Panhandle region, took down various children's dictionaries and encyclopedias that it determined violated HB 1069.

Signed into law by Governor Ron DeSantis in 2022, the legislation restricts classroom instruction and access to materials related to gender identity and sexual topics in Kindergarten through 12th grade, as per Daily Mail.

Escambia County school district has removed over 2,800 books since June 2023

In June 2023, the school board implemented an emergency rule to review all library books in light of the expanded law. Since then, over 2,800 books have been removed, including at least 8 encyclopedias, 5 dictionaries, and copies of the Guinness Book of World Records.

On Wednesday, January 10, parents of Escambia students joined a federal lawsuit led by PEN America, a free speech advocacy group, challenging the school board's actions. US District Judge Kent Wetherell allowed the case to move forward under First Amendment claims.

Katie Blankenship, head of PEN America's Florida chapter, hailed the ruling as "heartening" and called for the books to be restored, stating that "every day students are refused access is a day they're not getting the high-quality education they deserve."

"School libraries are not state propaganda centers," she said, arguing they should promote free inquiry and critical thinking. The Florida Freedom to Read Project obtained the lists of removed books, discovering that less than 100 titles have been reviewed since the purge began last summer, resulting in many school libraries sitting empty when classes resumed.

Dictionary removal is part of effort to restrict teaching on gender identity

The dictionary debacle stems from Florida's controversial drive to expand restrictions on teaching gender identity and sexual orientation in all grade levels. Supporters argue this gives parents more oversight of their children's education and development.

Last May, the Republican-led state legislature passed an expanded version of the 'Don't Say Gay' law signed originally in 2022. In addition to banning classroom instruction on gender identity and sexual orientation through 12th grade, it streamlines the process for parents to challenge library books.

Under the law, any book can be targeted for any reason, automatically forcing its removal during lengthy review procedures. Teachers are also barred from addressing students with pronouns conflicting with their registered gender at birth, sparking further protests.

Internet reacts to removal of dictionaries

Upon learning about the removal of dictionaries from Escambia County School District libraries, the internet erupted with a spectrum of reactions, reflecting a mix of disbelief, frustration, and criticism.

One Facebook user succinctly expressed their dismay, stating, "Stupid is as stupid does."

Another user delved into the potential consequences, emphasizing concerns about students' future readiness: "They’re not protecting their children. They are hobbling them and making them unqualified to compete in a college or workplace when they’re grown." 

One user reacted with incredulity at the specific choice of banned material, exclaiming, "The DICTIONARY?!?!?! O.M.G. This is just crazy." 

Another commentator emphasized the perceived political agenda behind the decision, expressing, "Keeping the populous stupid and uninformed has always been a tried & true way of pushing a political agenda. You can't argue against something you're too stupid to understand."

A user brought a political dimension into the discussion, commenting, "The Stain of Trump and his G.O.P. enablers." On a contrasting note, one user dismissed the significance of dictionaries in the digital age, stating, "Dictionaries are obsolete anyways. We just look things up on our phones! Not an issue."

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.