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
University of Washington faces Trump admin antisemitism scrutiny over anti-Israel protests

Anti-Israel protests put University of Washington under Trump administration’s scrutiny for antisemitism concerns.

The Trump administration has initiated an investigation into the anti-Israel demonstration that…
US Army Black Hawk pilot found dead in Honduras, investigation underway

Investigation launched following the death of US Army Black Hawk pilot in Honduras

The U.S. Army is investigating after a Black Hawk pilot was found…
Photo of Olly Stephens.

Where are Olly Stephens’ killers now?

SCHOOLBOY Olly Stephens was stabbed to death in a park near his…

Another Navy Fighter Jet Lost Overboard from Truman Carrier; Pilots Safely Eject

Two pilots from the U.S. Navy ejected while trying to land a…
Pro-Palestinian demonstrators clash with security guards at Columbia University

Pro-Palestinian Protesters Confront Security Personnel at Columbia University

NEW YORK (AP) — On Wednesday, masked pro-Palestinian demonstrators clashed with security…
Former Norwegian Cruise Line employee Theodore Pappas taken to Nassau County

Ex-Norwegian Cruise Line Worker Theodore Pappas Transferred to Nassau County

Theodore Pappas, a 47-year-old resident of Fernandina Beach, was employed by Norwegian…
Screenshot of two United Airlines planes with colliding wingtips; no injuries reported.

Two Planes Crash on Untowered Runway at Major US Airport—Second Tarmac Incident This Month

TWO planes collided before takeoff, just weeks after a similar accident occurred…
Migrant crime plagues blue city where police are under attack from teen Tren de Aragua gangsters: data

Migrant Crime Issues Escalate in Liberal City as Police Face Challenges from Teen Tren de Aragua Gang Members: Report

Following a notable assault involving New York City Police Department (NYPD) officers…
Steph Curry exits Game 1 with hamstring strain in Warriors worry

Steph Curry Leaves Game 1 with Hamstring Injury, Raising Concerns for Warriors

The Warriors probably did not envision the start of their second-round playoff…
NY Town of Chester Highway Superintendent John J. Reilly III arrested for shooting DoorDash driver

Highway Superintendent in Chester, NY, Arrested for Shooting Incident Involving DoorDash Driver

An official from a New York town is accused of shooting at…
Diddy's lawyer slammed by judge for calling prosecutors a 'six-pack of white women'

Judge Criticizes Diddy’s Lawyer for ‘Six-Pack of White Women’ Remark About Prosecutors

The judge in charge of Sean “Diddy” Combs’ sex trafficking case criticized…