Largest publisher and PEN America sue Florida school district over book bans.
The Escambia County School District in Florida is being sued by free-speech organization PEN America and Penguin Random House, along with a group of authors and parents, for violating the First Amendment and the equal protection clause by removing or restricting certain books from its school libraries. The books targeted were disproportionately written by nonwhite and L.G.B.T.Q. authors and addressed themes of race, racism, gender, and sexuality. The lawsuit comes amid a surge in book-banning efforts in schools and libraries across the United States, fueled by conservative groups and new legislation in several states, particularly Florida.