Florida Freedom To Read Project

Since the start of 2025, free expression and freedom to read organizations have raised alarm over the new federal administration’s adoption of policies, practices, and rhetoric to suppress speech and restrict access to information. The administration has dismissed books bans as a “hoax,” chilled discussions of “race, color, sex, or national origin” by prohibiting so-called “discriminatory equity ideology” in K-12 schools, eliminated federal funding for promoting what it has termed “gender ideology,” and sought to advance ideological control of education under the guise of advancing “parental rights.” Each of these federal actions has had a test run in Florida. In a new report — The Blueprint State — PEN America and the Florida Freedom to Read Project (FFTRP) offer key reflections and warnings based on what is already happening in Florida. Our goal is to offer others a deeper understanding of how various policies have played out on the ground, and to help those who want to fight this scourge and mount a strong defense of the right to read. Read the full report at the link in or bio. #Florida #TheBlueprintState #Censorship #BannedBooks

ALA released a list of the country’s Top 11 Challenged books of 2025 this week, but something that wasn’t highlighted in national press was just how many of those titles (8 of 11) were ordered off shelves without formal objections, without committee reviews, without an official vote, and without the ability for the public to comment by Florida’s SBOE on June 4, 2025. It wasn’t a formal directive or policy update from the board for all 67 districts, but it was a SBOE demand to immediately remove 55 titles made to one district after an hour-long public berating of the Superintendent and media staff. The public had no way to share their concerns on the matter, and still so few across the state have actually been informed about the full impacts of this action on their school libraries. So what does all that have to do with this post? Well, on Wednesday (4/22) an attorney for the State appeared before the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals and attempted to argue that what happened last summer (and what has been happening in districts since the 21/22 school year) is the government choosing to curate its speech and not a constitutional violation of the public’s First Amendment rights. Their argument: If the public dislikes the government’s choice of curated messaging in the library, they may take it up at the ballot box (never mind that the SBOE and Education Commissioner are all appointed). As a federal censorship bill (H.R. 7661) awaits a floor vote in the House, it’s more important than ever to ensure your elected representatives will recognize and protect our First Amendment rights in our publicly-funded libraries- that they understand that viewpoint-based censorship will not be tolerated by a free people. Have you made your calls?

For those of you that don’t know, the work of Florida Freedom to Read Project is managed by two public school parents (we’re not a big operation at all). We volunteer our time to file public records requests across the state of Florida (made possible thanks to your donations). The information we collect is shared on our social media, updated weekly via our censorship attempts tracking on our website, and distributed to local groups across the state to help inform their advocacy efforts. It’s these public records requests that have made national headlines and allowed other organizations to keep the pressure up on the state to correct past wrongs and not make matters worse by expanding the legislation further these last few sessions. The irony of the state policies that promised “transparency and accountability” for public school parents being the main reason why we continue to sink so much of our personal time into public records requests (for ACTUAL transparency and accountability) is not lost on us. So, this week we celebrate the importance of our elected officials being required by law to operate in the Sunshine, and we encourage everyone to support efforts that help shine a light in some pretty dark places. For those that have and continue to financially support our work, we truly appreciate you! Thank you for making actual transparency and accountability possible and for protecting the freedom to read for Florida’s young people.

With 21 States’ Attorneys General signing onto Florida’s “libraries are government speech” argument, it’s more important than ever to speak up in support of these national bills that recognize the freedom to share and receive ideas in the library free from viewpoint discrimination belongs to all of us. Tell your elected officials you want to see them support these bills too!

STOP H.R. 7661 Floridians already know what a vague and punitive censorship bill like this one will mean for our libraries, students, and communities. A national bill like this accepts that the First Amendment doesn’t apply to our publicly-funded libraries. Do you accept that? We don’t.

They said this is just about getting “pornography” off the shelf, but that was always prohibited in the school library. They said it was to “protect the children,” but when an amendment was put forward to ensure books that help children recognize and seek support when they’re experiencing abuse wouldn’t be removed, the supermajority declined the clarification. They convinced you it wasn’t book banning while they argued you never had a right to receive ANY ideas in the library (unless they endorse them) before the courts.

Yesterday, HB 1119 was heard on the floor of the Florida House. You can access the full video on thefloridachannel.org, but we clipped some moments for you. Here, Rep. Nixon closes on her amendment that attempts to provide clarity in the bill that matches the promise that it’s not the intent of the legislature to remove access to books that discuss and provide support around the topic of sexual assault and other abusive situations. The amendment was voted down by the supermajority revealing that they aren’t actually interested in protecting these important stories and acknowledging that not all sexual content is intended to arouse.

Calling all Floridians! The next few days are going to be critical in stopping HB 1119 and HB 31 from moving forward. Both of these bills have the potential to drastically increase viewpoint-based censorship in our school libraries. Please call or email your State Representative and the House Speaker ([email protected]) and tell them to oppose moving these bills forward.

If this isn't about making those books inaccessible, then why are they? If this is about protecting kids, then why are we targeting books you admit aren't considered harmful? If this is about parental rights in education, then where are mine? #florida #bookstagram

It’s that time of year again! Please take five minutes today to write or call State Reps on these committees to express opposition to some very bad bills. House subcommittees are hearing HB 1119 (Book Ban Bill) and HB 1071 (Curriculum Control Bill) on Wednesday (1/21). The hearings meet in the same room which will make attending easier - Room 102, House Office Building, if you happen to be in Tallahassee and want to give a public comment. HB 1071: 1-3pm House Student Academic Success Subcommittee HB 1071 creates broad state-level prohibitions on spending that could undermine locally driven academic programs serving underrepresented students and prevent districts from responding to community needs. It also moves Florida toward a state-controlled curriculum by empowering the Department of Education to approve, remove, or sanction instructional materials statewide, reducing the role of local educators and school boards. HB 1119: 4-6pm House Education Administration Subcommittee Under HB 1119, parents who want their children to have access to books have no appeal rights if titles are removed, and local review committees can no longer consider a book’s educational, literary, or historical value when a single sexual reference is present. This puts classic and award-winning literature at risk and creates a de facto statewide book ban, enforced through the threat of funding loss or other penalties.

Thank you for coming to The Librarians screening for this sell out show. And a special thank you to Julie Miller, Librarian and Film Participant and Raegan Miller, the Director of Development and Finance at the Florida Freedom to Read Project for traveling from a far to speak with us. We have a couple of more screenings of the Librarians this week. Thurs, Jan 15 - 6:00 Sun, Jan 18 - 6:30 @hipptheatre @thelibrariansfilm @flfreedomread

Last night, the Millers came to Gainesville for a special showing and panel discussion of The Librarians. @thelibrariansfilm Our own Raegan Miller led the post-film discussion and spoke with film participant (and one of Florida’s great media specialists) Julie Miller about her story and what it has felt like to share it with the world. Gainesville is in Alachua County and is home to the University of Florida. A state Senator from this area is sponsoring a book ban bill (SB 1692, same number and intent as last year’s) that would remove the ability for local school districts and review committees to consider a work in its entirety for literary, artistic, scientific, or political value. The film helps people to understand the motives and harm caused by these efforts to legislate restrictions on reading. Attendees hopefully left the theater last night motivated to write Senator McClain to express their opposition to SB 1692.