‘Farewell, classroom library.’ Manatee teachers cover their books after new Florida law

Read the latest update from Tuesday’s school board meeting here.

Photos of Manatee County classroom libraries have gone viral on social media after a report of the school district asking teachers to remove all unapproved books per a new Florida law.

Multiple teachers have posted on social media that they’re upset at having to remove or cover up books in their classrooms. A blogger’s Twitter thread about the issue had 3.4 million views as of Monday afternoon.

“Farewell, classroom library,” one teacher posted on Facebook. “My heart is broken for Florida students today as I am forced to pack up my classroom library,” another posted. “I will have even more work to do just to make sure my kids have the best education ever,” a third said.

“They can be charged with a third-degree felony,” said Patricia Barber, the president of the county’s teachers union. “They’ve criminalized providing a book, when there really is just a vague definition of what books are not appropriate.”

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the law, House Bill 1467, in March.

The law “requires school districts to be transparent in the selection of instructional materials and library and reading materials,” the Florida Department of Education said in a June memo to school district superintendents. “This legislation preserves the rights of parents to make decisions about what materials their children are exposed to in school.”

School District of Manatee County Executive Director of Administration Kevin Chapman said the bill became law in November and training started Jan. 1 for certified media specialists on what is an appropriate and not appropriate book based on state guidelines.

“A parent has a right to search and know what books are in their child’s classroom,” Chapman said. “So in order to do that, you’ve got to post on that school’s website a list of the books that are available in their student’s classroom. And that’s a process we are starting.”

Chapman said the topic will be addressed at Tuesday’s school board meeting, which is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m.

This month, the Manatee school district sent a memo to schools about a section of H.B. 1467 that describes the guidelines for school and classroom libraries’ reading lists.

It reads as follows:

• “Per the new statutory changes to House Bill 1467 - Section 1006.40 (3) (d), F.S. All material in school and classroom libraries or included on a reading list must be:

• 1. Free of Pornography and material prohibited under S. 847.012, F.S.

• 2. Suited to student needs and their ability to comprehend the material presented.

• 3. Appropriate for the grade level and age group for which the materials are used and made available.

• Each elementary school must publish on its website, in a searchable format prescribed by the department, a list of all materials maintained in the school library media center or required as part of a school or grade-level reading list. Penalty for Violating Section 847.012, F.S. Any person violating any provision of this section commits a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in S. 775.082, S. 775.083, or s.775.084. To protect librarians and media specialist, it must be clear that a book depicting nudity, sexual conduct, or sexual excitement does not meet the tenets of “Harmful to minors” (s.847.001, F.S.).

• Therefore, each district in the State of Florida must comply with these new statutory requirements. We are seeking volunteers to assist with vetting and compiling website list so all classroom books can be used by students.”

Barber, who has been a teacher since 1973 and the county’s teacher union president for 36 years, said her understanding is that there hasn’t been consistent communication from principals to teachers of what has to be done.

“The communication I’ve seen from the district was that all teachers had to do at this point was cover their classroom libraries so that students did not have access to the books until it could be determined which books were approved,” Barber said. “This burden did not fall on teachers, because the district recognized the important thing that they needed to do was teach.”

She added: “It’s kind of unconscionable that we are in this day and age where teachers have to address these issues when they’ve been encouraged to do throughout their careers is to build classroom libraries that would encourage students to read. That’s the whole point of a classroom library is to encourage students to read a book.”

Chapman said a list of books approved, needing parent consent or are not approved can be found on the school board’s website under a link for the agenda for Friday’s board workshop.

“It’s a very sad day that any citizen can challenge a book and keep another child, whose parents might feel is an appropriate book for their child, from having access to that book,” Barber said. “It’s not just parents. It’s any citizen.”

Is this happening across Florida?

Anna Fusco, president of the Broward Teachers Union, said in a text Monday that book banning wasn’t happening in the Broward County school district, the nation’s sixth-largest.

A district spokesperson reiterated that point in an email Monday to the Miami Herald, “The District has not directed teachers to remove books from their shelves at this time.”

But, the district spokesperson added: “Schools have been provided information on recent legislative changes that will impact classroom libraries and media centers. Training is beginning on the new legislation and the types of materials that can be in our schools to provide support/guidance as schools conduct reviews of materials used in their classrooms and media centers.”

A similar response was given in regards to communications sent to teachers in Miami-Dade County public schools, the state’s largest district and the nation’s fourth-largest.

Karla Hernandez-Mats, teachers union president, told the Herald Monday afternoon she was not aware of teachers receiving any correspondence regarding the removal of books.

A district spokesperson said in an email, media specialists are “currently participating in the state-mandated training that became available in earlier this month to ensure compliance.” The district did not comment whether any new mandates have been sent to the district or teachers.

Miami Herald staff writers Sommer Brugal and Jimena Tavel contributed to this story.