Florida Schools Limit Shakespeare Due to Concerns Over Content

Hillsborough County schools in Florida are reducing the amount of William Shakespeare's works taught in English classes due to revised state teaching standards and a new set of state exams. Students will only be assigned excerpts from Shakespeare's plays, such as "Macbeth," "Hamlet," and "Romeo and Juliet," with the option to read them in their entirety on their own time. The decision was also influenced by the recently expanded Parental Rights in Education Act, which advises schools to avoid sexual content unless it is related to a standard. The district aims to provide a variety of writing styles and time periods for students to master the material required for assessments. However, some teachers and school board members have expressed concerns about the limitations on teaching Shakespeare and the impact on students' learning experiences.