Major publishers and authors are suing Florida over its book ban law

[JACK AYLMER]

ANOTHER FLASHPOINT IN THE ONGOING SOCIAL WAR OVER BOOK BANS.

SOME OF THE NATION’S LARGEST BOOK PUBLISHERS AND BESTSELLING AUTHORS ARE SUING FLORIA OVER ITS LAW PROHIBITING SEXUAL CONTENT IN SCHOOL LIBRARIES.

THE PUBLISHERS AND AUTHORS CLAIM THE SUIT IS TO PROTECT THE FIRST AMENDMENT AS BOOK BANS ARE ON THE RISE ACROSS THE U-S.

THE LAWSUIT ASSERTS THE LAW IS SO BROAD IT WOULD IN THEORY REQUIRE THE REMOVAL OF THE ‘OXFORD ENGLISH DICTIONARY’ BECAUSE OF ITS DEFINITION OF SEX.

THE PLAINTIFFS ARGUE “THIS VAGUENESS AND AMBIGUITY RESULT IN OVERBROAD INTERPRETATIONS” AND “CHILL PROTECTED SPEECH.

THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION COMMUNICATION DIRECTOR CALLED THE LAWSUIT A “STUNT”– AND ARGUED “THERE ARE NO BANNED BOOKS IN FLORIDA. SEXUALLY EXPLICIT MATERIAL AND INSTRUCTION ARE NOT SUITABLE FOR SCHOOLS.”

PROPONENTS HAVE ALSO ARGUED THE STATUE PROTECTS CHILDREN FROM OBSCENE MATERIAL.

BUT THE PLAINTIFFS CONTEND THEY DON’T WANT TO KEEP OBSCENE MATERIALS IN SCHOOLS BUT TAKE ISSUE WITH REMOVING BOOKS LABELED “PORNOGRAPHIC” WHEN THEY BELIEVE THEY’RE SIMPLY NOT.

THE SUIT CITES LITERARY CLASSICS LIKE KURT VONNEGUT’S, SLAUGHTERHOUSE FIVE, ERNEST HEMINGWAY’S, FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS, AND ALDOUS HUXLEY’S, BRAVE NEW WORLD, AS SOME OF THE BOOKS REMOVED.

STATING:

“THESE BOOKS ARE TIMELESS CLASSICS, RENOWNED FOR LITERARY VALUE. MANY OF THEM HAVE WON AWARDS OR ARE BESTSELLERS. THEY HAVE BEEN ON SHELVES OF SCHOOL LIBRARIES FOR YEARS AND THEY ARE NOT REMOTELY OBSCENE.”

FLORIDA’S LAW PASSED LAST YEAR, REQUIRES THE REQUIRES SCHOOLS TO REMOVE A BOOK IMMEDIATELY IF A SINGLE PARENT COMPLAINS IT DEPICTS SEXUAL CONDUCT. 

A DECISION TO PUT THE BACK ON THE SHELF OR NOT CAN NOT BE MADE UNTIL THE COMPLAINT IS RESOLVED. 

FLORIDA REPORTEDLY BANNED MORE THAN 14 HUNDRED DURING THE 2022-23 SCHOOL YEAR. TEXAS WAS SECOND WITH MORE THAN 620 BOOK BANS. 

FOR MORE ON THIS LEGAL BATTLE– DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP OR VISIT SAN DOT COM.

FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS– I’M JACK AYLMER.