The National Coalition Against Censorship has written to the Public School Board in Duval County, Florida to share our concerns regarding proposed revisions to the School Board Manual’s policy on challenged materials.
The proposed revisions would require the district to “remove any material challenged for depicting sexual conduct, as defined by s. 847.001(19), F.S., from all schools within five days of an objection, unless it is required for certain courses or designated by the State Board of Education.” This draft language echoes state law HB 1069, which requires book removals pending adjudication of whether the challenged material contains sexual content.
However, The U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida recently held that the provision of HB 1069 requiring the removal of material challenged for “describ[ing] sexual conduct” is “overbroad and unconstitutional.” Duval County is bound by the decisions of its federal court and the proposed policy would put the district at risk of violating the First Amendment.
NCAC urges the Board members to reject the unconstitutional policy.
Read NCAC’s full letter to Duval County Schools here:
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