Click Orlando reports
‘The state gave us guidelines, but there’s some gray in there,’ says OCPS Superintendent
Media specialists have been working through the summer to make sure school and classroom libraries are up to new state standards.
“They have received training, and they are reviewing books,” said Orange County Public Schools Superintendent Maria Vazquez( Header Image) . “I think we have over a million books that have been or are in the process of being reviewed. They’re not going to be able to finish (in time for the school year). Imagine how many books. It’s an extensive review, and we want to make sure we’re doing the job correctly.”
Vazquez said the summertime review was partially prompted by the passage of a new law during the last session of the Florida legislature.
House Bill 1069 now requires school districts to remove books that “depict or describe sexual conduct.”
“The state gave us guidelines, but there’s some gray in there, and that’s where we really look to the experts and the training that’s been provided,” Vazquez said.
Vazquez said the review begins at the school level with media specialists.
If a book is flagged, a panel at the district level then reviews the book, and they make a final decision.
None of the nine Central Florida school districts have removed a book yet to comply with this law, according to News 6 research.
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