Florida’s “Parental Rights in Education” bill, also known as the “Don’t Say Gay” law, has led to the banning of the book ‘Guess What?’ by Australian author Mem Fox in Duval County, Jacksonville. The bill prohibits the distribution of materials depicting nudity, sexual conduct, bestiality, or sadomasochistic abuse that are considered harmful to minors.
The objectionable content in ‘Guess What?’ involves illustrations of the main character, a witch named Daisy O’Grady, taking a bath. The book, authored by Mem Fox, renowned for her bestselling children’s book ‘Possum Magic,’ includes illustrations by Vivienne Goodman.
Mem Fox’s agent declined to comment on the issue, stating that Duval County’s decision is not significant considering its population of 997,000 in Florida.
Besides ‘Guess What?,’ numerous other books have been banned in Florida. PEN America, an organization dedicated to protecting free expression, reports that 565 books have been banned in Florida since 2021 under this controversial legislation. The directive given to Florida schools includes emptying libraries and covering classroom bookshelves.
The banned books include works by esteemed authors such as Booker Prize winners Margaret Atwood and Arundhati Roy, as well as Nobel laureate Toni Morrison. In Duval and Manatee counties, teachers are required to review each book before it is banned and removed from classrooms to prevent arbitrary decisions regarding book removal.
The banning of books under the “Don’t Say Gay” law has sparked criticism and concern over the restriction of free expression and access to diverse literary content in Florida schools. The law has resulted in the removal and censorship of a significant number of books, raising debates about the impact on education and intellectual freedom in the state.
Post Your Comments