Stephen King has given a blunt three word response to discovering that 23 of his books have been banned from school libraries in Florida, a law which is now being challenged by six major book publishers.
In 2022, Florida governor Ron DeSantis signed a landmark legislation that targeted books which included any sexually explicit material, following complaints from conservative group Moms for Liberty.
The law was brought into effect in July 2023 and has seen noteworthy classics such as Brave New World by Aldous Huxley and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain all removed from elementary, middle and high school libraries. Even non-fiction books like The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank has also been banned.
Amongst the novels by King that have reportedly been banned include Carrie, It, The Gunslinger, The Running Man and The Long Walk.
King, who is no stranger to voicing his political opinion, wrote in response to learning just how many of his books have been banned: “Florida has banned 23 pf [sic] my books. What the f***?”
Six major book publishers, Penguin Random House, Simon & Schuster, Hachette Book Group, HarperCollins Publishers, Macmillan Publishers and Sourcebooks have now teamed up to challenge the “sweeping book removal provisions” of House Bill 1069.
In a press release the publishers highlighted the potential abuses of the law that can happen once a complaint is raised. The statement says: “HB 1069 requires school librarians to remove books that contain anything that can be construed as ‘sexual conduct,’ with no consideration of the educational value of the work as a whole. If ‘a parent or a resident of the county’ objects to a book, the book must be removed within five days and remain unavailable until the objection is resolved. There is no requirement to review a book within a reasonable time frame—or even to return it if it has been found not to violate the statute. If a book is returned to the library, an objector may request a review by a state-appointed special magistrate at the expense of the school district.”
Florida has banned 23 pf my books.
What the fuck?— Stephen King (@StephenKing) August 31, 2024
The publishers add: “Students need access to books that reflect a wide range of human experiences to learn and grow. It’s imperative for the education of our young people that teachers and librarians be allowed to use their professional expertise to match our authors’ books to the right reader at the right time in their life.”
Florida Department of Education spokesperson Sydney Booker, has since pushed back on the publisher’s lawsuit, telling the BBC that it is a ‘stunt,’ adding that: “There are no books banned in Florida and that, “sexually explicit material and instruction are not suitable for schools.”