PEN America: Florida removed more library books than any state last year
Florida school boards removed more books from school libraries during the 2023-2024 school year than any other state, according to PEN America. (Photo: Getty Images)
Florida topped every state in the nation for the number of books removed from school libraries during the 2023-2024 school year.
That’s 4,500 books from July 2023 to June 2024, according to an annual report from PEN America, a nonprofit advocating for freedom of expression.
That represents nearly half of nationwide removals, which numbered 10,064. Iowa, which removed more than 3,600 books, was next closest to Florida.
Florida’s 2023 law, HB 1069, created a legal process for removing books, including a requirement that they be pulled while schools respond to challenges filed by parents or citizens. The list compiled by PEN includes books permanently removed from schools, removed pending investigation, and restrictions based on grade level or requiring parental permission.
Escambia accounted for 1,582 of Florida’s removals. A great deal of them were “banned pending investigation” in August 2023, shortly after the book removal law took effect.
