Over the summer, Hillsborough County Schools pulled over 500 books for review and has permanently banned at least 55 titles. This new round of book removals followed letters from state leaders— including Attorney General James Uthmeier and Education Commissioner Anastasios Kamoutsas— pressuring the Superintendent to remove what they called "inappropriate" and “pornographic” books. Among those books was The Diary of Anne Frank.
In Florida, students, teachers, and parents continue to experience censorship in public schools at the hands of state officials. Since 2021, state leaders have enacted legislation that restricts conversations about race and identity, prohibits the funding of DEI programs, and allows for the removal of general education courses at public colleges and universities. These laws have chilled speech across K-12 schools and higher education, driving educators out of the state.
Miami-Dade County—the largest public school district in Florida—saw its enrollment drop by more than 13,000 students this school year. Many attribute this decline to the targeting of immigrant families and the climate of fear created by the state’s policies. Combined with a worsening teacher shortage, it’s clear that these laws are not only silencing classrooms but also weakening the foundation of our public education system, making it harder for schools to thrive and serve every student.
Schools should be places where students can learn, ask questions, and imagine solutions to real-world problems. Instead, as the state continues to limit academic freedom, classrooms have now become sites of government overreach and censorship. From the hostile takeover of New College to the removal of AP African American studies, educators and students are facing unprecedented challenges to their freedoms.
At the ACLU of Florida, we’ve spent this month bringing together students, parents, and educators through a series of virtual events on the importance of academic freedom. Our final program takes place Monday, September 15 and it comes at a critical moment. Florida’s public universities are entering into unprecedented partnerships with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) under the 287(g) program. This threatens immigrant students, faculty, and the integrity of our campuses. Join us as we discuss the rights that university faculty and staff have when interacting with immigration enforcement on campus, and how we can protect vulnerable communities from overreach.
Now that students and teachers are back in the classroom, it’s clear this fight doesn’t end with the first day of school—it continues year round. Whether you’re a student, parent, or teacher, your voice matters in the movement to protect the freedom to learn.
You can sign up today for our Banned Book Club and for our Free Speech Team of volunteers to protect our First Amendment rights year round. We invite you to stay engaged with us, know your rights, and help ensure that Florida’s classrooms remain places of imagination, inquiry, and freedom. Together, we can create a state that values education and protects every student’s right to learn.