(MIAMI)—In new analysis, PEN America and the Florida Freedom to Read Project (FFTRP) are raising an alarm that the extreme censorship implemented in Florida public schools since 2021 may serve as a blueprint for restrictive education laws and policies nationally by the Trump administration.
The Blueprint State report released today warns that, contrary to its name, the so-called ‘parental rights’ agenda that has advanced in the Sunshine State has delivered control over what students read and learn not into the hands of all parents but to a tiny segment of citizens—some not even parents—whose overriding goal is censorship.
The policies and laws put in place by Florida— and now being debated for consideration by other states— have led to banning books about penguins and Michelangelo’s David, purging school and classroom libraries, canceling field trips and theatrical productions, censoring student clubs, and revising and removing disfavored textbooks, the analysis shows.
Since 2021, Florida has led the country in rolling back students’ freedom to read and learn by legislative fiat, erasing topics like race, historic injustices, reproductive health, gender, and sexual orientation from classrooms, by a mix of prohibitions, intimidation, undermining of educators’ expertise, and circumventing local authority. These laws and policies don’t just ban books, but place some parents’ ideological preferences and restrictive mindsets above those of everyone else.
With debate on “parental rights” policies now taking place in states including Iowa, South Carolina, and Texas and potentially at the national level, the new analysis from the two organizations offers a warning about its harmful consequences to students and their education. The organizations emphasize that the “parental rights” movement is anything but– robbing parents, students, and educators of a role in public education and handing greater ideological control to the state.
This censorship has resulted in more than 16,000 instances of book bans nationwide since 2021. It is happening despite overwhelming opposition by the public to the bans, as opinion polls have shown, including a survey last August from the Knight Foundation.
Stephana Ferrell, Florida public school parent and co-director at FFTRP said: “For years Floridians have faced a coordinated effort to restrict access to information in public schools under the guise of ‘parental rights.’ This narrative is intentionally deceptive, forfeiting our students’ rights in education and masking a broader agenda that limits open discussion, critical thinking, and the free exploration of ideas from various viewpoints—something I’ve witnessed firsthand as a current Florida public school parent of two and documented extensively as a volunteer researcher of public records. While state officials claim to champion parental rights, they have simultaneously asserted full control over what ideas students can access in our classrooms and libraries, making Florida a warning sign for national education policy.”
Data in the new analysis collected by FFTRP shows that when Florida parents are given the opportunity to restrict library access for their own children via “opt-out” policies, the overwhelming majority of parents maintain full access. This sign of trust in educators, libraries, and book collections runs counter to the fear and distrust espoused by those pushing “parental rights” legislation, including Governor DeSantis and other state politicians.
PEN America’s Florida Director William Johnson said: “The “parental rights” movement has been an accelerant in the extreme censorship we have tracked for the last four school years in Florida. Its advocates use the rhetoric of “liberation” for parents who may want a bigger voice over what their children read and learn in public schools. But in reality, the movement masquerades its intent and delivers an outcome quite different from the way it is presented. In the cases PEN America and FFTRP have tracked, the majority of parents were excluded from decisions, students’ rights were limited, educators’ hands were tied, and a select few claiming to represent the collective parent voice advanced discriminatory censorship. Parents have always had the power to influence their child’s education – ironically, government entities are now actually limiting that influence. Florida provides the blueprint for what is being proposed federally – and a warning sign for us all.”
The goal of the new publication is to help individuals and communities that oppose the “parental rights” movement and want to launch a strong defense for the right to read and learn. The two organizations offer a deeper understanding of how various policies and laws have played out on the ground, and offer nine tips for those who want to stay informed and organize to defend these rights against censorship.
“As these threats move to the national arena, it’s time for more parents to be heard in the argument over parental rights,” the analysis states. “These education censorship laws are not popular, they are not the will of the people, and they are not what’s necessary to honor parents’ wishes.”
About PEN America
PEN America stands at the intersection of literature and human rights to protect free expression in the United States and worldwide. We champion the freedom to write, recognizing the power of the word to transform the world. Our mission is to unite writers and their allies to celebrate creative expression and defend the liberties that make it possible. Learn more at pen.org.
Contact: Suzanne Trimel, [email protected], (201) 247-5057