St. Johns County Committee Recommends Retaining Book in School Libraries

The St. Johns County District Media Advisory Committee decided to recommend retaining the book “There’s Someone Inside Your House” by Stephanie Perkins in the school libraries, despite an objection citing inappropriate content. The recommendation will be forwarded to Superintendent Tim Forson for final approval.

During the meeting, the committee reviewed a challenge filed by Jan Moore, who argued that the book contained excessive profanity, sexual activities, hazing, alcohol use by minors, and graphic violence. She expressed concern about the impact of such content on young readers, questioning its appropriateness for inclusion in school libraries. Moore cited an article suggesting that profanity in young adult literature is increasing and emphasized the need to protect the innocence of young readers.

The committee followed a structured process, guided by Florida Statutes and district rules, to evaluate the book. They considered both professional reviews and community standards before voting. The key points of deliberation focused on whether the book was pornographic or prohibited by law, if it depicted sexual conduct as defined by statute, and whether it was suited to the needs and comprehension levels of students in grades 8 through 12.

After thorough discussion, the committee voted on several aspects of the book’s content. They unanimously agreed that the book was not pornographic or prohibited under Florida law. Furthermore, the majority found that the book did not depict sexual conduct as defined by statute, with two members dissenting. Ultimately, the committee concluded that the book was appropriate for students in grades 8 through 12, leading to the recommendation to retain the book in its current availability.

Note: This meeting summary was generated by AI, which can occasionally misspell names, misattribute actions, and state inaccuracies. This summary is intended to be a starting point and you should review the meeting record linked above before acting on anything you read. If we got something wrong, let us know. We’re working every day to improve our process in pursuit of universal local government transparency.

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