Ms. Moore articulated her objection to “Storm and Fury,” arguing that its content, including obscenity and sexual activity, made it comparable to an R-rated movie, which she deemed unsuitable for minors. She expressed frustration that it took recent legal changes to prompt a reevaluation of such materials in schools. Moore insisted that the committee had no choice but to recommend the book’s removal to protect childhood innocence and uphold parental rights.

Committee members engaged in a thorough discussion, reviewing excerpts from the book and professional and crowd-sourced reviews to inform their decision. The dialogue focused on whether the material was pornographic, as defined by Florida statute, and if it depicted or described sexual conduct. Committee members also evaluated whether the book was unsuited to student needs or inappropriate for the age group it was intended for.

During the conversation, some committee members voiced their perspectives on the book’s content. One member highlighted the importance of the book’s treatment of consent and dating violence, arguing that the material provides valuable educational opportunities. Another member suggested that the book’s representation of LGBTQ characters might have influenced its selection for review, though no direct link to the objector’s motivations was established.

The committee’s process involved a structured evaluation that concluded with a vote on the recommendation to Superintendent Tim Forson. The unanimous decision to retain the book for high school students was based on the majority’s assessment that the content was not pornographic and did not exclusively depict sexual conduct, acknowledging the book’s literary and artistic value.

In closing, the committee members were requested to acknowledge their participation in the recommendation to the superintendent and return any materials related to the review process.