10 Major US publishers sue Florida officials over 2023 law prohibiting sexual content in school libraries, claiming it violates First Amendment rights.
Major US publishers including Penguin Random House, Hachette Book Group, and HarperCollins have filed a federal lawsuit against Florida's education officials, arguing that a 2023 law prohibiting sexual content in school libraries has led to a wave of book removals, violating the First Amendment. The suit, filed in federal court in Orlando, claims the rule has resulted in a "regime of strict censorship" in school libraries and has caused a blanket purge of hundreds of books across the state. The lawsuit alleges that following the law's implementation, hundreds of titles have been removed from Florida schools, including "Love in the Time of Cholera" by Gabriel García Márquez. The coalition of publishers, authors, and parents argue that the law, which prohibits books containing sexual conduct or pornographic content, imposes a regime of strict censorship on school libraries, and violates their right to freedom of expression.