Despite new Florida rules, challenges to school books persist

In recent weeks, Florida officials have been working to address the issue of school book challenges by implementing laws and rules to reduce the number of titles being removed from shelves. Despite these efforts, the underlying laws that led to some school districts pulling materials are still in place, and community complaints continue to flow.

The Hillsborough County School Board is set to hear two challenges on Monday, while Hernando County’s board will address 24 the following week. Author Sonya Sones is advocating for her book “The Opposite of Innocent” to remain available to teens in Hernando district. The Florida Freedom to Read Project has highlighted the confusion surrounding state laws, leading to questions about which books can stay on shelves.

In higher education news, protests related to the Israel-Hamas conflict have reached Florida university campuses, with a predominantly pro-Palestinian tone. Calls for schools to divest from companies linked to Israel’s war efforts have been made. Florida State University took action against pro-Palestine protesters by asking them to remove tents from campus and later turning sprinklers on the site.

Additionally, Northwest Florida State College students no longer have to take math courses unrelated to their degree plans. Florida Polytechnic University trustees approved a three-year contract for incoming president Devin Stephenson. The state of Florida has officially joined Florida State University in a lawsuit against the Atlantic Coast Conference for refusing to produce records.