After lobbying from two community members, the St. Johns County School Board decided this week to restrict the use of three books to only older students — the latest of dozens of books the district has restricted.
Superintendent Tim Forson had planned to follow the recommendation of the district’s book review committee and retain the three titles in middle school libraries. But community members Jean Moore and Kerri Gustavson objected during a meeting Tuesday.
The books are Monday’s Not Coming by Tiffany D. Jackson; Check & Mate by Ali Hazelwood and There’s Someone Inside Your House by Stephanie Perkins. All deal with LGBTQ topics or concerns of the African American community.
The debate reflected continued conflict over materials used in Florida’s schools, years after the state began to crack down on books that some parents considered objectionable.
Many people at the meeting Tuesday expressed concerns about restricting the three books, and the School Board itself seemed divided. But Moore and Gustavson told the board the books include “excessive profanity, vulgarity, hookups, promiscuity and alcohol use.”
The women read excerpts aloud highlighting the parts they consider unfit for students.
Moore called for the district to “take ownership of what is in their libraries,” referencing pressure from both the Education Department and the Attorney General’s Office for Hillsborough County Schools Superintendent Van Ayres to remove books from the district’s libraries.
Ultimately, the St. Johns County School Board restricted the three books to high school students. There’s Someone Inside Your House was restricted to only 12th grade students. All titles require parental permission before students can check them out.
Florida requires that school districts adopt policies regarding parental objections to a book deemed “pornographic or (that) depicts or describes sexual conduct, is not suited to student needs and their ability to comprehend the material presented; or is inappropriate for the grade level and age group for which the material is used.”
School libraries have been a favorite issue of the governor’s office, as well — though Gov. Ron DeSantis had to refine who is allowed to challenge books because districts quickly became overwhelmed with the high volume of such requests.
The majority of public commenters during the meeting Tuesday expressed concern with removing the titles from middle schools. One parent argued that Moore and Gustavson were ignoring the main message of these books: the challenges faced by some segments of the population.
Commenters also noted that many students may not have access to these books outside school. Others expressed their desire for parental and student choice in literary materials.
The School Board appeared divided, with many in support of age-based restrictions as opposed to removing them completely from the district. One board member, Kelly Barrera, expressed her desire for a system aligning with state law.
“Do we place some adjustments to make it more efficient and understood by everybody so it’s not a matter of I feel like this, but what does the law say? That’s our job is to make sure that we’re following the law.” Barrera told the board.
School Board attorney Frank D. Upchurch responded with a quote from the Supreme Court case Cohen v. California. “One man’s vulgarity is another man’s lyric,” illustrating the complexity of the situation and subjectiveness of literature.
“The school district is a collection of people. The community is a collection of people, and there are differences of opinion and philosophy. You can’t flip a switch and satisfy everybody.” Upchurch told the board.
The county keeps a record of all removed, restricted, and retained books on its website. The list now includes 96 titles and states what grades they are restricted to if retained.
