florida schoolbook ban.

A federal judge has struck down key parts of a Florida law that allowed parents to remove books they found objectionable from public school libraries. U.S. District Judge Carlos Mendoza ruled Wednesday that the statute’s prohibition on material describing sexual conduct was overbroad. The law led to the removal of classics like “The Handmaid’s Tale” and “Slaughterhouse-Five” from central Florida schools. Mendoza emphasized that librarians should curate collections based on discretion, not decrees. The lawsuit was brought by publishers, authors, and parents. Schools should now follow a U.S. Supreme Court precedent to evaluate books, the judge ruled.