Controversy has sparked at New College in Sarasota, where books from the recently shuttered Student Gender and Diversity Center were discovered in a dumpster. Natalia Benavides, an incoming senior at the school, expressed her disbelief at the scene, stating, "It was such a huge amount, and I was in shock." The institution explained the removal as part of their annual procedures that involve discarding old and damaged books. However, the sight of readable, clean-cover books being disposed of has raised concerns, with Zander Moricz, executive director of the Social Equity through Education Alliance, criticizing the college's lack of consideration for alternative uses of the books, as reported by FOX 13 News.
Adding to the heated debate is the context of heightened book banning campaigns across Florida, as detailed in a piece by ABC News. With Florida leading in banning materials in schools, the actions of New College have been invariably linked to the wider issue of censorship; critics have argued against the silent fall of knowledge as it faces not the flame but the dumpster, even as Governor DeSantis signed a bill meant to shield schools from what his office calls activists looking to politicize and disrupt a district’s book review process albeit the bill allowing parents to object to an unlimited number of materials if they have a child using district resources.
New College officials stated, under Chapter 273 of Florida statutes, the college is prohibited from selling, donating, or transferring deselected books purchased with state funds, prompting them to discard the materials despite their condition. However, Moricz and others were able to save several books, emphasizing that "These were readable books. These were books that did not have tears in the pages. Have clean covers. These are books that could have been used, and it's truly unforgivable," ABC News reported.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Florida has also weighed in on the matter, with Executive Director Bacardi Jackson calling the act "a direct attack on free speech and academic freedom," as cited by the Herald-Tribune.
