Florida school district settles book ban lawsuit, agrees to restore titles

Schools in a Florida district are expected to return three dozen book titles to libraries after reaching a settlement in a federal lawsuit filed by parents and students who claimed a book ban limited access to LGBTQ+ materials.

The Wednesday settlement between Nassau County school officials and parents, students and authors marked a win amid ongoing challenges and legal battles over book restrictions — labeled “bans” by opponents — in K-12 schools in the state.

“This settlement — a watershed moment in the ongoing battle against book censorship in the United States — significantly restores access to important works that were unlawfully removed from the shelves of Nassau County, Florida’s public school libraries,” Lauren Zimmerman, a lawyer representing the parents, students and authors of “And Tango Makes Three,” said in a statement.

Among the books returning to circulation are titles “And Tango Makes Three,” a children’s book about two male penguins who create a family together, as well as works by Toni Morrison and Rainbow Rowell.

Last year, Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) signed legislation that made it easier to challenge materials in schools that could be considered obscene or pornographic. Last month, six publishers — Penguin Random House, Hachette Book Group, HarperCollins Publishers, Macmillan Publishers, Simon & Schuster, and Sourcebooks — along with The Authors Guild and some prominent book authors, filed a lawsuit in Orlando, arguing that the law violates First Amendment rights of publishers, authors and students.

“While we have secured a victory today, the fight is far from over. With numerous book banning cases percolating in the courts, we look forward to continuing to protect the First Amendment rights of students, parents, and authors throughout the United States,” said Faith Gay, an attorney in the case.

The Hill has reached out to the attorney for the district’s school board for comment.