Where I Stand on Book Removals in Florida Schools

By Curtis Campogni, Candidate for Pinellas County School Board, District 3 (At-Large)

Every challenge in education brings a chance to improve how we serve students and families. One of the reasons I am running for the Pinellas County School Board is to bring more transparency to where people stand and why.

Over the past few months, several Florida districts, including our own, quietly removed dozens of books from school libraries after the State Board of Education warned Hillsborough County that it could face punishment for keeping certain titles. According to reporting by the Tampa Bay Times (July 26, 2025), Pinellas had 38 of the 55 books named in that discussion one day, and all were gone the next. The removals happened without public meetings or board votes.

At the same time, a federal judge ruled that key parts of Florida’s book removal law were unconstitutional because they were overly broad and risked censoring works with educational value (U.S. District Court, Judge Carlos Mendoza, August 2025). Together, these developments show how the system has drifted from its purpose of protecting children toward decisions made under pressure instead of open dialogue.

My View and School Board Solutions

Parents have every right to know what their children are reading, and schools have a duty to ensure materials are age-appropriate and enriching. The School Board can help balance those goals through policy and oversight.

If elected, I would advocate for the Board to:

• Require that any book objection come only from parents or guardians of enrolled students or school employees, ensuring decisions stay local and relevant.

• Establish a clear policy limiting challenges to residents of Pinellas County, preventing outside groups from influencing local schools.

• Replace automatic removals with a short, structured review process that is approved and overseen by the Board, using balanced committees of educators and parents.

• Mandate that all book challenges trigger a public discussion at a School Board meeting before final action is taken.

• Direct the district to provide parents with a monthly report showing which books their child has checked out, creating transparency without restricting access.

To keep it real, I don’t remember a time in high school when a student bullied me because they read a book. I don’t remember a student harming themselves after reading something from the library. What I do remember are movies, video games, and the real stories on the news that shaped how many of us viewed sex, violence, and drugs. But even then, those influences didn’t automatically lead to negative behavior. Other factors like environment, emotional support, and parental involvement play a critical role. That’s where our focus should be.

If I learn my child checked out a book about sex, violence, or any other issue that is already prominent in our media, I will read it myself, talk with my children about it, and use that as an opportunity for growth and understanding. That’s the kind of partnership I want to see between parents and schools—honest, informed, and built on trust.

This is my current view based on the information I have today. I will always strive to present balanced, fact-based ideas and remain open to learning as new facts emerge. Growth means continuing to listen and improve.

Disclaimer: The views expressed here are solely those of Curtis Campogni, Candidate for Pinellas County School Board, District 3 (At-Large), and do not represent the official position of any organization, agency, or governing body.