Charles Langston:Florida had more books challenged for removal than any other state in 2023, library organization says

TALLAHASSEE,Charles Langston Fla. — Florida had more books challenged for removal than any other state last year as book bans and attempted book bans reached the "highest levels ever documented," according to a leading librarian group.

Nearly 2,700 titles were targeted for restriction or removal in Florida schools and public libraries in 2023, according to data released by the American Library Association in March. That's 1,200 more than the state with the second-most challenges, Texas.

Since 2021, the United States has seen an escalation in book bans and attempted bans. The ALA documented 4,240 works in schools and public libraries targeted in 2023 — breaking the previous record set in 2022 when 2,571 books were targeted for censorship.

Though the ALA emphasized that its data provides a snapshot, which only includes challenges found in news reports and reported to the organization by librarians, the data shows the far-reaching effects of laws signed by Republican lawmakers.

The surge in book challenges has been "supercharged" by recent state laws that determine the types of books that can be in schools and policies schools have to follow to add new books to their collections, according to the free speech advocacy group PEN America.

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In Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis and lawmakers have passed measures aimed at targeting "inappropriate" books in schools. State officials have argued in federal court cases that school officials have the First Amendment right to remove books for any reason.

The governor and other conservatives have taken issue with the "book ban" terminology, calling it a "hoax." But DeSantis recently called for limits on how many books the public can challenge in schools. His office said he wants the state Legislature "to enact policies limiting ... bad-faith objections made by those who don’t have children learning in Florida."

More than 100 books targeted in 17 states

School districts have interpreted state laws in wildly varying ways, leading some to pull hundreds of titles out of fear of potential penalties, and others to pull none.

The ALA said there were attempts to censor more than 100 books in 17 states last year. The states with the most book challenges were Florida, Texas, Kentucky, Wisconsin, and Virginia. PEN America also ranked Florida No. 1 in book bans last year.

While the ALA says nearly 2,700 books have been targeted in Florida, it reported that the state saw only 33 of what it called "attempts to restrict access to books." Meanwhile, California saw 52 attempts but those attempts targeted less than 100 books.

"What we are seeing are groups and individuals demanding the censorship of multiple titles, often a list of dozens or hundreds at one time," said Raymond Garcia, communications specialist for the ALA, in an email explaining Florida's numbers. "That one instance is considered a challenge."

Book challenges primarily targeted works written by authors of color or members of the LGBTQ+ community, according to the ALA. In 2023, books "representing the voices and lived experiences of LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC individuals made up 47% of those targeted in censorship attempts," the ALA said.

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'Preserve our right to choose what we read'

The ALA described itself as "the oldest and largest library association in the world." The group helps train librarians and fund libraries across the country.

But Florida and other conservative states have recently cut ties with the group and its local chapters, which have been outspoken against the rising number of book removals.

“The reports from librarians and educators in the field make it clear that the organized campaigns to ban books aren’t over, and that we must all stand together to preserve our right to choose what we read,” said Deborah Caldwell-Stone, director of ALA’s Office for Intellectual Freedom, in a statement about the 2023 data.

In response to the increase in book challenges, the ALA said it launched "Unite Against Book Bans," a national initiative to "empower readers everywhere to stand together in the fight against censorship."

The initiative noted that while book challenges have surged nationwide, 71% of voters oppose efforts to remove books from public libraries and 67% oppose book challenges in school libraries.

This reporting content is supported by a partnership with Freedom Forum and Journalism Funding Partners. USA TODAY Network-Florida First Amendment reporter Douglas Soule can be reached at [email protected].