Federal Judge Strikes Down Florida’s Sweeping School Book Ban

In a landmark decision for free expression, a federal judge has ruled against Florida’s controversial HB 1069—a law that removed dozens of books from school libraries on the grounds of containing sexual content. The ruling comes after a lawsuit filed by six major publishers, the Authors Guild, several authors, and student plaintiffs, who argued the law was both “overbroad and unconstitutional.”

Among the banned titles were On the Road by Jack Kerouac, The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison, and works by acclaimed authors Julia Alvarez, John Green, Laurie Halse Anderson, Jodi Picoult, and Angie Thomas.

Judge Carlos Mendoza of the U.S. Middle District Court of Florida made it clear in his written opinion: “None of these books are obscene. The restrictions placed on these books are thus unreasonable in light of the purpose of school libraries… Their presence does not materially and substantially disrupt the work and discipline of the school.”

The court also rejected the law’s blanket approach of removing books for all students, regardless of age. Mendoza criticized the provision for treating “all minors as if they are the same,” noting that material deemed inappropriate for younger children is not necessarily inappropriate for older students.

Representing the plaintiffs—which included Hachette, HarperCollins, Simon & Schuster, Macmillan, Sourcebooks, and Penguin Random House—Dan Novack, VP and Associate General Counsel at PRH, called the decision “a sweeping victory for the right to read.”

“We are especially heartened that the Court rejected the State’s dangerous claim that the First Amendment does not apply in school libraries,” Novack said. “This ruling reaffirms the role of librarians and educators in guiding students’ independent reading.”

While the Orlando Sentinel reports the state is likely to appeal, the ruling marks a significant pushback against recent legislative efforts to remove books from public school shelves. For now, students, educators, and authors are celebrating a reaffirmation of their right to access diverse and challenging ideas in the classroom and beyond.