The big story: In a list quietly released in recent days, Florida schools reported removing more than 700 titles from their shelves in 2023-2024, doubling the total pulled from the previous year. While some districts saw their numbers increase, others did not.

Clay County Schools led the way with 287 strikeouts, Jacksonville Today reports.

What happens here depends on one’s perspective.

Critics of the effort say the state supports banning books and censoring ideas. They note that the number only reflects books contested by the public and not those that school officials decided to excise without complaint or those that were temporarily moved or restricted. In other words, the total is even higher than reported.

A spokesman for the Florida Department of Education countered that no books were banned. Rather, she said, schools have taken steps to ensure that sexually explicit material is not in school libraries that children can access, adding that the material remains available elsewhere.

Lawmakers have taken steps to reduce the number of formal objections a single individual can make. They have also expanded the definitions of what they consider age-appropriate material.

Processes regarding the content of school libraries continue. Read more from Associated Press and Florida Phoenix.

Hot topics

‘Woke up. A conservative comedian and commentator will teach a course at New College of Florida on “wokeness,” treating the topic as “a kind of cult”. • Santa Fe College is doing an overhaul about 100 new general education courses to meet the state requirement that diversity, equity and inclusion not be included, the Independent Florida Alligator reports. Collaborates with the University of Florida system.

What’s in a name? The Pinellas County School Board has named its new leadership center according to former Superintendent Mike Gregowho made leadership training a centerpiece of his administration.

Beat the band. The Tarpon High School marching band has its final practices ahead of it heads to the Bands of America Grand National ChampionshipBay News 9 reports.

Stop making threats. A school in Broward County will have added security for the rest of the week after receiving threats of violence, WPLG reports.

It’s a pay race. The Palm Beach County School Board is refusing to give his police force bigger raises than it offered to teachers and other employees, the Palm Beach Post reports. • The Bay County School Board approved a starting teacher salary of $50,000 and raising $1,750 for all current teachers, WJHG reports.

The last education secretary? A few Florida names appear amid speculation about who might lead Donald Trump’s charge to end the Department of Education, The Hill reports.

Strong growth. The superintendent of St. Johns, Tim Forson, who is retiring, says his replacement will have to account for growth management as district enrollment grows, WJAX reports.

About that scholarship… Orange County Supervisor of Elections Glen Gilzean defended his decision to use $2.1 million from his budget to create a student scholarship in his name, amid criticism from other officials that it was an inappropriate use of the money, Florida Politics reports.

Don’t miss a story. Here is the link to yesterday’s summary.

Before you go… Did you make it to Flugtag in Tampa?