Duval County doubles book removals

Duval County Public Schools has added dozens of titles to its not-approved list through an internal review process that operates outside the district’s formal book-challenge track. By May 21, the public list had more than doubled in recent months, according to Jacksonville Today, and PEN America said the process lacks the public oversight that typically comes with parent-filed challenges. District officials told local outlets the removals are part of a state-mandated review of library and classroom books. The dispute has turned on a basic question: who is deciding what comes off shelves, and under what standards. ### How did the district’s list grow so quickly? Jacksonville Today reported on April 23 that Duval’s publicly posted list of not-approved books had more than doubled in recent months. The outlet said 30 books were recently added to the list, while 19 other reviewed titles were approved, and one title, “Ready Player One,” was weeded for low circulation rather than content. (news4jax.com) Duval spokesperson Laureen Ricks told Jacksonville Today the increase reflected the district’s shift from reviewing elementary collections to middle and high school materials. Chief academic officer Paula Renfro said in an email obtained through a public records request that a list of 50 titles under review was “reflective of what has been reviewed thus far” in secondary schools. (jaxtoday.org) ### What books are being removed? PEN America said on May 13 that titles removed in Duval included Margaret Atwood’s “The Handmaid’s Tale,” Jodi Picoult’s “Nineteen Minutes,” Maya Angelou’s “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,” works by Bernard Malamud and E.E. Cummings, and other books with what it called clear literary and educational value. Jacksonville Today separately reported that “A Game of Thrones” by George R.R. Martin and two volumes of E.E. Cummings’ poetry were no longer allowed on school shelves. (jaxtoday.org) Duval County Public Schools’ review webpage says the district’s certified media specialists are screening books for material that could be considered pornographic, material that could violate Florida statutes on race or sex-based instruction, and material deemed inappropriate for a grade level or age group. The page says the district posts its current non-approved list online and directs the public to submit records requests for information about specific titles. (pen.org) ### Why is PEN America focused on the internal review process? William Johnson, PEN America’s Florida director, told News4Jax that the district’s internal process leaves the public without basic information about who asked for removals or how decisions were reached. “When you have an internal review, there’s no transparency,” Johnson said, adding that the process “does not speak to parental rights.” (duvalschools.org) PEN America said the removals appear to be driven largely by an internal compliance review tied to state guidance rather than by formal objections from parents or community members. In its May 13 statement, the group called on the district to explain its criteria, use transparent procedures and restore books removed without what it described as proper review. (news4jax.com) ### What is the district saying in response? Duval County Public Schools told News4Jax that books have been removed outside the 10 active formal book challenges now pending in the district. The district said those removals are part of a state-required review process that applies to all materials, not only books formally challenged by parents or other residents. (pen.org) The district’s review page traces that process to House Bill 1467, signed in March 2022 and effective July 1, 2022, and to a State Board of Education rule that extended the requirement to classroom libraries in November 2022. The page also says certified media specialists were required to complete Florida Department of Education training made available in January 2023. ### Who is doing the reviewing? (news4jax.com) Jacksonville Today reported that two district media specialists are still working through the review of more than 1.6 million books in Duval’s collection. The outlet said Duval’s longstanding model of not staffing middle and high schools with certified media specialists made the statewide review requirement harder to carry out. (duvalschools.org) The Duval County School Board calendar lists a Policy Handbook Review Committee meeting for May 27, 2026. That meeting is the next scheduled public item on the board calendar tied to policy review as the district continues its book-review process. (duvalcosb.portal.civicclerk.com) (jaxtoday.org)