Hernando County School Board backs ‘Moms for Liberty’ book challenges

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banned books, First Amendment
Banned books. Displayed at The Hive St. Pete. By Seán Kinane/WMNF News (Aug. 2023)

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As Florida leads the country in book bans, Hernando County School board banned or limited access to even more books at a school board meeting Tuesday.

Eight books were brought before the board during the meeting. Suncoast Florida reports that all of the book challenges came from right–wing group Moms for Liberty.

Four books were completely removed from circulation, including Angie Thomas’s “The Hate U Give” and Sapphire’s “Push.”

Access to other books were limited. School Board member Shannon Rodriguez had this to say before voting to limit access to Toni Morrison’s “The Bluest Eye”.

“This isn’t tolerable. This stuff doesn’t bring anything to their brain. There’s nothing that they’re getting from it – there’s no benefit to it.”

Hernando County parent Kimberly Mulrooney spoke against the bans at the meeting.

“Let us choose for our children. I have no problem with inappropriate stuff being taken, but when it has literary value to it, we need to let the parents choose. Let me choose for mine, and let others choose for their own.”

The next Hernando County School Board meeting is scheduled for January 9th.

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