Hernando County School Board Meeting Results in Removal of 19 Books from School Libraries
On May 7, 2024, the Hernando County School Board convened a special meeting to address a total of 23 challenges filed against 20 district library books by Julia Thomas, a member of Moms for Liberty. While such meetings usually take place in the evening, this one was scheduled for 8:30 a.m. to keep from “running late into the evening,” according to district officials.
The books challenged had already undergone scrutiny by a Review Committee composed of school staff, community members, and parents, as per district procedure. The May 7 meeting agenda allowed for public comment before a final ruling by the School Board on whether to keep or remove the books from the school libraries.
Proponents of removing the books, such as Moms For Liberty Vice-Chair Monty Floyd and local pastor Jack Martin reminded the School Board members of the community moral values that they were responsible for safeguarding. Critics of the book removals, including parents like Kim Mulrooney, argue that such decisions limit access to diverse perspectives and educational content, particularly for families who may not have the means to visit public libraries regularly.
Public interest ran high, as other citizens on both sides of the issue lined up to speak, with public comments received on every book on the agenda. The entire meeting stretched to nearly five hours.
The meeting also saw significant, sometimes contentious, discussions among board members. Shannon Rodriguez was vocal about her stance, describing the content of the challenged books as “pornographic.” Rodriguez also expressed her concerns that the Book Review Committees were “stacked” with some local school staff using the title of “parent” as committee members. Superintendent John Stratton raised questions about how the board defined pornography and emphasized the board’s role in interpreting state law criteria for book removals.
Various book review committees at Hernando County schools had recommended retaining 13 of the challenged books in school libraries. However, the final decision rested with the School Board, which ultimately voted to remove 19 of the 20 titles being considered at all school levels. The only book retained was “Spinning” by Tillie Walden, kept by a narrow 3-2 vote.