Controversial Ban on Famous Author’s Works Sparks Heated Debate

Stephen King was shocked to find 23 of his books banned in Florida, raising fierce debates about censorship and literary freedoms.

At a Glance

Stephen King responded passionately to his books being banned in Florida school libraries.
Governor Ron DeSantis enacted laws that restrict books with sexually explicit material in schools.
Critics argue the legislation silences discussions on racial and LGBTQ+ issues.
Six major book publishers have sued Florida, claiming the legislation violates First Amendment rights.

Stephen King’s Shock over Florida Book Ban

Legendary author Stephen King, known for his mastery in horror and suspense writing, discovered that 23 of his books were banned in Florida school libraries. This startling news has amplified the ongoing discourse about censorship and literary freedom in the state. King, known for works like “Carrie,” “It,” and “The Running Man,” took to X (formerly Twitter) to express his frustration: “What the f**k?”

Governor Ron DeSantis enacted legislation in 2022 aimed at restricting access to books featuring sexually explicit content in school libraries. While supporters believe this is a move to protect children, opponents argue the law targets and silences literature that addresses racial and LGBTQ+ topics. As a result, numerous classics and contemporary books, including works from Ernest Hemingway, Mark Twain, and Anne Frank, have been removed from school libraries.

Public and Legal Backlash

The legislation has sparked significant backlash from the literary community and beyond. Six major book publishers, including Penguin Random House, Simon & Schuster, and HarperCollins, have sued Florida, arguing the legislation violates First Amendment rights. In a joint statement, the publishers emphasized their dedication to protecting literary freedom: “As publishers dedicated to protecting freedom of expression and the right to read, the rise in book bans across the country continues to demand our collective action.”

Opponents of the legislation argue it is more about censoring discussions on race and LGBTQ+ topics than protecting children. The ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill signed by Gov. DeSantis limits classroom instruction on gender identity and sexual orientation for all grade levels. A broad coalition, including bestselling authors Julia Alvarez, Laurie Halse Anderson, and John Green, has joined the lawsuit against Florida over these controversial laws.

There are no book bans in Florida.
It's not against the law to say gay here.
If we had honest media, more people would know this. https://t.co/1b2BPSnEKa

— Frog Capital (@FrogNews) September 2, 2024

Ongoing Debate and Controversy

The debate around Florida’s book bans continues to escalate. An expanded version of the law passed in May 2023 restricts in-classroom instruction on gender identity and sexual orientation for all public school grade levels. The law allows parents to more easily remove books they deem inappropriate from school bookshelves, and any person can challenge a book for any reason, prompting its removal during the review process.

“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,” said a joint statement from the six major book publishers.

Republicans argue that such laws are necessary to prevent children from accessing age-inappropriate books, while critics see this as thinly veiled censorship. Understanding the balance between protecting young minds and ensuring literary freedom remains at the heart of this contentious issue.

Sources

Quotes:

“Florida has banned 23 pf [sic] my books. What the f***?” – Stephen King – [Source #1](https://www.newsweek.com/stephen-king-books-banned-florida-full-list-1947910), [Source #3](https://www.newsweek.com/stephen-king-florida-book-ban-viral-post-1947396), [Source #4](https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/news/stephen-king-florida-book-bans-2024-b2605978.html), [Source #5](https://www.the-independent.com/arts-entertainment/books/news/stephen-king-florida-book-ban-b2605632.html) “What the f**k?” – Stephen King (posted on X) “As publishers dedicated to protecting freedom of expression and the right to read, the rise in book bans across the country continues to demand our collective action,” – Group of publishers (joint statement) “We are unwavering in our support for educators, librarians, students, authors, readers – everyone deserves access to books and stories that show different perspectives and viewpoints.” – Group of publishers (joint statement) – [Source #2](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13805523/stephen-king-author-florida-banned-books.html) “MAGA: ‘Reading is dangerous. It’s like math but with letters,'” “We’re working on taking back Florida and making sure they keep their bans off our bodies AND our books!” – Barbie Harden Hall, Democratic nominee for U.S. Congress – [Source #3](https://www.newsweek.com/stephen-king-florida-book-ban-viral-post-1947396) “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.” – Press release from six major book publishers – [Source #4](https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/news/stephen-king-florida-book-bans-2024-b2605978.html), [Source #5](https://www.the-independent.com/arts-entertainment/books/news/stephen-king-florida-book-ban-b2605632.html) “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.” – Press release from six major book publishers – [Source #4](https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/news/stephen-king-florida-book-bans-2024-b2605978.html), [Source #5](https://www.the-independent.com/arts-entertainment/books/news/stephen-king-florida-book-ban-b2605632.html) “Babe, elementary school kids don’t need to be reading ‘The Shining.’ It’s not personal. It’s parenting,” “You’re lying. Some of your books that contain explicit sexual material were removed from elementary schools,” – [Source #6](https://www.dailywire.com/news/youre-lying-stephen-king-gets-dragged-for-book-ban-claim-about-florida)

Videos:

STEPHEN KING’S BOOKS BANNED IN #FLORIDA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YxqNrjmP4Ss WHY STEPHEN KING BANNED HIS OWN BOOK https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xty0JCWoB1I STEPHEN KING TALKS SCHOOL CENSORSHIP + Q&A (1996) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-rrg2MRUGA STEPHEN KING’S BANNED BOOK “RAGE” https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Aa7S8haCzNU RAGE – STEPHEN KING’S BANNED BOOK https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Nh3PNga3Is THE STEPHEN KING BOOK EVEN HE DOESN’T WANT YOU TO READ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4gDoKbHK_U IT’S NOT EASY BEING GREENE! PEP WITH CHAS AND DR DAVE (EP 155, APRIL 26) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XEHhhJlOdlY 3 EVOLUTIONISTS VS 1 CREATIONIST https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OghwjQDUiCM WHY WE QUIT WORKING FOR JOYCE MEYER, AND LEFT THE WORD OF FAITH MOVEMENT https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=imluDBBvTaQ 1989 CHEVROLET CORVETTE CONVERTIBLE, 15K-MILES, OWNED BY STEPHEN KING, RUNNING WALK AROUND https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KB-YyS1aD98

Tweets:

https://twitter.com/StephenKing/status/1829984944321360242 https://twitter.com/JoelWBerry/status/1830445103535538285 https://twitter.com/Rquietlyreading/status/1830048633493901391 https://twitter.com/dotconnectinga/status/1830712534346932261 https://twitter.com/FrogNews/status/1830579630895686140