Share this @internewscast.com

A Florida school district has pulled over 1,600 books from its library shelves for review — including Webster’s Dictionary for Students — to ensure they comply with the state’s new sex education law that prohibits books describing sexual content. 

The Escambia County Public School District, in the Florida Panhandle, pulled five dictionaries, eight encyclopedias and “The Guinness Book of World Records.” It’s also reviewing the biographies of Beyoncé and Oprah Winfrey, Anne Frank’s diary and “The Autobiography of Malcom X,” according to the Florida Freedom to Read Project, a group that seeks to protect students’ right to information.

While the books haven’t been banned altogether, they will be reviewed to assure they follow guidelines laid out in Florida’s House Bill 1069, which restricts public school instruction on reproductive health and related sex topics in sixth through 12th grade. 

The bill was signed in May and took effect in July, and was part of a series of bills in the state Legislature that sought to regulate how sex and gender identity are taught in public school settings.

It’s not clear when a final decision will be made on which books can return to school shelves and which should be banned.

NBC News has reached out to the Escambia County School District for comment.

District spokesperson Cody Strother told the Pensacola News Journal that the 1,000+ books referred to by the Florida Freedom to Read Project “have not been banned or removed from the school district; rather, they have simply been pulled for further review to ensure compliance with the new legislation.”

That same school district had been sued by the writers’ group PEN America, publisher Penguin Random House and authors whose books were banned in the district.

On Wednesday, a Pensacola judge ruled the lawsuit can move forward, finding the case had merit under the First Amendment’s free speech protections, but denied a claim under the 14th Amendment’s Equal Protection Clause.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like
Video captures US strike on suspected narco vessel in Eastern Pacific, Coast Guard searches for 3 survivors

Footage Reveals US Strike on Suspected Drug Vessel in Eastern Pacific as Coast Guard Launches Search for Three Survivors

The United States military conducted a deadly operation against a vessel suspected…
US pauses sanctions on Iranian oil ‘stranded at sea’ to help curb rising prices

US Halts Sanctions on Stranded Iranian Oil to Stabilize Soaring Global Prices

On Friday, the Trump administration announced a temporary suspension of sanctions on…
Iran’s new supreme leader linked to properties with ‘line of sight’ into Israeli UK Embassy

Iran’s Supreme Leader Tied to Strategic Properties Overlooking Israeli Embassy in UK

Reports have emerged linking Iran’s supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, to two opulent…
Pilot believes he's found Amelia Earhart's long-lost airplane on remote Pacific island -- with the help of Google Earth

Amelia Earhart’s Mystery Solved? Pilot Discovers Possible Wreckage on Pacific Island via Google Earth

A veteran pilot has reignited the mystery surrounding Amelia Earhart’s disappearance, claiming…
Trump vows no cease-fire with Iran, predicts Strait of Hormuz may 'open itself'

Trump’s Bold Stance: No Ceasefire with Iran and Predictions for the Strait of Hormuz

WASHINGTON — On Friday, President Trump dismissed the idea of a potential…
California man paroled under ‘youthful offender’ provision for 2 murders kills again less than a year later

California Man Released Under ‘Youthful Offender’ Law Commits Another Murder Within a Year

A California man has been sentenced to life imprisonment after murdering a…
Iranian man, 2nd person arrested after allegedly trying to enter UK nuclear missile base: report

Security Breach Alert: Iranian National and Accomplice Arrested Attempting Entry into UK Nuclear Base

An attempted breach at HM Naval Base Clyde in Scotland led to…
Wild video shows cop jumping on stranger's car hood to hitch a ride for a police chase: 'Go! Go! Go! '

Adrenaline-Packed Police Chase: Officer Jumps Onto Moving Car Hood in Thrilling Pursuit

Adrenaline-pumping footage captured on a body camera reveals a remarkable moment in…
NY trooper miraculously walks away after out-of-control SUV causes chain-reaction crash

Miraculous Escape: New York Trooper Survives Chain-Reaction Crash Caused by Out-of-Control SUV

A thrilling video captures the heart-stopping moment when a New York State…
How law enforcement's discovery of rare drug in Suzanne Morphew's body led to her husband's eventual arrest

Last-Minute Intervention: Prosecutors Halt Suzanne Morphew’s Cremation, Claim Barry Morphew’s Involvement, Documents Reveal

Barry Morphew, who faces charges in the murder of his wife Suzanne,…
Sheaves Slate, charged in death of Michael Altman, Chicago firefighter killed in Rogers Park fire, is due in court Saturday

Justice Unfolds: Sheaves Slate Faces Court Over Tragic Death of Chicago Firefighter Michael Altman

In a tragic turn of events, the man accused of igniting a…
Denmark secretly prepared to blow up Greenland's runways to stop US aircraft: report

Denmark’s Covert Plans to Sabotage Greenland’s Runways Against US Aircraft Revealed

Denmark reportedly took steps to potentially sabotage Greenland’s airstrips with explosives and…