Latest news with #VanAyres
Axios
21 hours ago
- Politics
- Axios
Hillsborough schools superintendent faces criticism over broad library book removals
The leader of Hillsborough County's school district is set to face state regulators on Wednesday, but he's also facing tough questions at home, including from the school board. Why it matters: Superintendent Van Ayres, with the district under state scrutiny over library books some argue are age-inappropriate, recently opted to remove 600 titles from circulation, per the Tampa Bay Times. The titles comprise all books that have been placed on a removal list by any Florida county in the last two years, the Times reports. Catch up quick: Education Commissioner Manny Diaz Jr. in May sent the Hillsborough district a letter accusing it of offering "pornographic and inappropriate" books in its libraries. The district faced similar accusations from Attorney General James Uthmeier, who in a letter demanded the materials be removed and threatened legal action. Zoom in: The books identified by Diaz were "Call Me by Your Name" and "Jack of Hearts (And Other Parts)," both of which are celebrated novels about LGBTQ+ characters. The books have also been criticized by conservative groups and some parents for sexual content they argue is inappropriate for minors. The big picture: Book bans have sparked culture-war controversy nationwide, especially as critics note that stories about people of color and LGBTQ+ characters are frequent targets. Friction point: School board members at a meeting this week said they were blindsided by Ayres' removal of such a large number of library books, per the Times. "You did not engage with parents. You did not engage with our PTA. You did not engage with the union," Member Nadia Combs said. "You did not engage with your supervisors or your lead librarians, and I was not informed at all." Members were also critical of the cost of reviewing the removed books, which Ayres estimated at $345,000. The other side: "I needed to ensure that we don't have inappropriate materials in libraries, and that's my ultimate responsibility," Ayres told the board.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
Under fire from state, Hillsborough's Ayres pledges to pull more books
Hillsborough County schools Superintendent Van Ayres pledged to remove more books from district shelves during a heated state Board of Education meeting on Wednesday, as board members suggested firing all county media specialists or exploring criminal charges as possible alternatives. The meeting in Miami followed letters from Education Commissioner Manny Diaz and Attorney General James Uthmeier sharing concerns about the content of six books including 'pornographic materials' in school shelves. Ayres told the state board he would immediately order the removal of another 57 titles identified by the state as objectionable. 'I expect and hope that these books will be removed in the next two weeks,' board Chairperson Ben Gibson told Ayres. 'If they're not removed, then I'm going to ask the department and I'll ask the attorney general to use every tool within their disposal to make sure that pornographic materials are not in our schools.' Ayres and the district's attorney, James Porter, said the district had already permanently removed the six books listed by Diaz and Uthmeier, and had pulled for review 600 additional books that had been challenged in any other Florida county. That decision put Ayres at odds with members his of own school board, who said that while they supported the idea of removing inappropriate materials, they felt they should have been consulted. Board members also said his plan to offer a $1,500 stipend to eligible employees to help review books could cost the district more than the $345,000 he estimated. The state board also did not appear to be satisfied with Ayres' move. They pressed for the immediate removal of a subset list of 57 titles they deemed patently pornographic, which includes 'All Boys Aren't Blue' by George Johnson and 'A Stolen Life: A Memoir' by Jaycee Lee Dugard. 'These are nasty, disgusting books that have no place in a school in Florida or even California,' board Vice Chairperson Richard Petty said. 'Please help me understand what your review process is. ... 'Process' sounds complicated. 'Process' sounds like it takes time. 'Process' sounds like there's some ambiguity to the outcome.' Ayres said there is no process needed 'if the material is inappropriate for our students.' In 2022, the state passed a law requiring trained media specialists to approve all materials in school libraries, and in 2023, they passed a law expanding the definition of unsuitable material. This year, a proposal to further define what is unsuitable failed to become law. But at Wednesday's meeting, the state board questioned the existing processes in Hillsborough County. Currently, if a parent has a concern with a book that a media specialist has allowed into a school's collections, they can raise it to a school-level committee. The committee would then read the book in its entirety and weigh the objectionable passages against the whole to determine if it should meet the criteria for selection, calling on outside professionals when necessary. If a book is deemed inappropriate, it can either be referred to a different age level or removed from that school and elevated to be considered for district-wide removal. The district said more than 389,000 books out of more than 2 million had been removed as a result of these processes, but no concerns had previously come up about the specific titles the state identified. Still, the board urged Ayres to go further. 'Have you considered firing all your media specialists and starting from scratch with women and men who can read?' board member Grazie Pozo Christie asked. 'These people that you trust to review these materials are abusing the children of your county. They're child abusers.' The words they had allowed were 'too dirty and gross' for her to look at, she said. Ayres said he did trust the media specialists and that 95 percent were certified. Petty then asked Ayres to read out loud an excerpt from the memoir by Dugard, who was a kidnapping victim at age 11. 'I'm not going to — this material is not appropriate,' Ayres said. 'I'm not going to read that out loud, and that's why it was made unavailable for our students.' 'But you trust your media specialists, who obviously read this?' Petty followed. 'I think this is a moment where we need to see some courage from you to say this is inappropriate. I don't care what the rules say. I don't care what the current process is. This garbage should not be in schools in Hillsborough County schools, because it serves absolutely no educational purpose.' Board member Daniel Foganholi said he believed accountability should fall on more than just Ayres. 'You have activist board members that put superintendents in a tough place, force them to do things, keep things in their libraries,' he said. 'What are we going to do to hold them accountable?' Diaz pointed to the 'teeth in the law' and said the attorney general's office could explore repercussions for anyone who tries to prevent the removal of controversial books — including board members. 'I want to provide caution to those individuals that are either on a board and trying to put pressure on a superintendent, or those individuals that are directly placing these items in the library: they could face penalty under law and prosecution,' Diaz said. This is a developing story and may be updated.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Superintendent faces state board over Hillsborough book removals amid backlash at home
The Brief Hillsborough Superintendent Van Ayres is in Miami on Wednesday, expected to explain to state education leaders why flagged books are still on school library shelves. Ayres is facing criticism from parents, state officials, and his own school board over how he's handled the issue. Nearly 600 titles have been pulled for review, far more than the state initially demanded. MIAMI, Fla. - Hillsborough County Superintendent Van Ayres is expected to speak before the Florida Board of Education on Wednesday in Miami, defending his district's decision to temporarily remove hundreds of books from school libraries. The backstory The meeting comes after Education Commissioner Manny Diaz and Attorney General James Uthmeier raised concerns about "pornographic materials" in Hillsborough schools. In response, Ayres said that not only were the titles mentioned in their letters removed, but nearly 600 other books flagged in other counties over the last two years were also pulled "out of an abundance of caution." That move has sparked backlash not only from parents, but from school board members and educators who say the decision sidestepped normal procedures and lacked transparency. Tensions flared during a packed school board meeting earlier this week, with more than a dozen speakers weighing in on the issue. Some parents criticized the district for not acting sooner to remove explicit content. Others pushed back against the decision to pull critically acclaimed works, including Toni Morrison's "The Bluest Eye," Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet," and a graphic novel version of Anne Frank's diary without first reviewing them locally. Trisha Long, a parent of two current students in the district, criticized the move as being outside the normal process for book removal. "In this case, we are in the dark," Long said. "There is no transparency about which titles are being reviewed, nor has the community been offered any opportunity to participate in the review process. As a parent, I find this concerning. Public school parents ought to be able to see what is being removed and to have a say in whether or not these books are inappropriate for our own children." Ayres said he acted quickly to ensure no inappropriate material would remain when students return in the fall. "That's my ultimate responsibility," he told the board. "But I'll learn from this and do better moving forward." READ: University of Florida presidential pick not approved in final vote amid growing GOP opposition Dig deeper Several board members said they were left in the dark, learning after the fact that the district had pulled hundreds of titles and responded to the state without first consulting them. "I'm trying to process your lack of communication," board member Nadia Combs told Ayres, "the transparency, and also lack of knowledge and input from me with the attorney general letter coming out. When that attorney general came out, I had absolutely no knowledge of the response that came (on behalf of the board.)" READ: New Florida law expands services, support for children with autism Board Chair Jessica Vaughn said the district's move undermined trained media specialists on staff who already follow a legal review process and risk penalties if they fail to do their jobs properly. "It's offensive to say you're protecting the community by removing books without proper review," Vaughn told the superintendent. The district is now paying certified media specialists $1,500 stipends to review the titles outside of normal work hours. The cost? As much as half a million dollars. Ayres acknowledged that the current process isn't working. "Come August, I want to make sure all the books have been reviewed," he said. Follow FOX 13 on YouTube The Source This story is based on public statements made during the Hillsborough County School Board meeting on June 2, and letters from the Florida Department of Education and Office of the Attorney General. STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 13 TAMPA: Download the FOX Local app for your smart TV Download FOX Local mobile app: Apple | Android Download the FOX 13 News app for breaking news alerts, latest headlines Download the SkyTower Radar app Sign up for FOX 13's daily newsletter
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Hillsborough County schools face state pressure over books under review
The Brief Hillsborough County's superintendent is meeting with state officials this week over demands to ban certain school library books. Florida's attorney general and education commissioner said the district hasn't removed "inappropriate" books fast enough. The school board hasn't voted on the matter, but hundreds of books are now under review. TAMPA, Fla. - Hillsborough County School Superintendent Van Ayres is scheduled to meet with Florida Education Commissioner Manny Diaz in Miami on Wednesday. What we know The meeting follows a letter from Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier demanding the "immediate removal" of what he called "patently pornographic" books from school libraries. Follow FOX 13 on YouTube In response, the school district has launched a new review of potentially hundreds of titles, a process that could cost up to $500,000, according to board members. No official vote was taken at Tuesday night's school board meeting, but emotions ran high as members and parents debated the direction of the district's approach to book removals. What they're saying Parents for the ban said the action by state officials have been a long time coming. RELATED:Florida leaders send letter to Hillsborough Schools demanding certain books deemed inappropriate be removed "It's just been a complete failure to protect kids. So that's what we've been fighting," said one Moms for Liberty parent. "I've been to probably 35 meetings and there has been zero progress in Hillsborough County." Another parent said, "Hopefully now, our state education commissioner will hold them accountable and let them explain why they haven't been following the laws." The other side Critics of the book bans argue that many of the targeted titles are not only appropriate but also vital for students from marginalized communities. "I feel like they're highlighting the worst-case scenarios," said Hillsborough parent Gianny Hunt. "Maybe that is reality for some kids. Maybe it speaks to a child who's experiencing something like that." Hunt added that some of the books flagged for removal include stories about race, immigration, and military service — narratives she says resonate with many students. The Source This article is based on reporting from a Hillsborough County School Board meeting, official statements from the district and Florida state officials, and interviews with local parents and community members. WATCH FOX 13 NEWS: STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 13 TAMPA: Download the FOX Local app for your smart TV Download FOX Local mobile app:Apple |Android Download the FOX 13 News app for breaking news alerts, latest headlines Download the SkyTower Radar app Sign up for FOX 13's daily newsletter
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Yahoo
Florida Department of Education claims ‘pornographic' books remain in Hillsborough County high school libraries
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — The Florida Department of Education sent a letter to Hillsborough County Schools' Superintendent Van Ayres Friday, claiming the district has not removed 'pornographic and inappropriate books' from some high school libraries. In the letter signed by Florida Commissioner of Education Manny Díaz Jr., Díaz wrote that 'Call Me by Your Name' and 'Jack of Hearts (And Other Parts)' had been found in the district's public database. Díaz said 'Call Me by Your Name' was found in three high school libraries. 'Jack of Hearts (And Other Parts)' was available in two high schools, the commissioner said. Victim's remains found in bear following deadly attack in South Florida: FWC 'Thanks to the leadership of other Florida school district superintendents and school board members, several districts have done the right thing and proactively ensured that pornographic and inappropriate materials are not in the hands of kids. Unfortunately, Hillsborough has failed to do this and continues to have pornographic and inappropriate books available to students,' Díaz wrote. He also told Ayers that he is expected to attend the upcoming State Board of Education meeting on June 4 at Miami Dade College 'to explain why you continue to allow pornographic materials in your school libraries.' You can read the full letter below: Letter-to-Supt-Van-AyresDownload Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
