Florida school board bans book about book bannings

A book about book bannings has itself been banned by a school board in Florida at the behest of right-wing Moms for Liberty activists.

The Guardian reports that "Ban This Book" by author Alan Gratz has been removed from libraries in Florida's Indian River county school district after the school board opted to ban it in a 3-to-2 vote last month.

The ban was first revealed by the Tallahassee Democrat.

"Gratz’s book, which came out in 2017, follows fourth-grader Amy Anne Ollinger as she tries to check out her favorite book," writes The Guardian. "Ollinger is told by the librarian she cannot, because it was banned after a classmate’s parent thought it was inappropriate. She then creates a secret banned-books library, entering into 'an unexpected battle over book banning, censorship, and who has the right to decide what she and her fellow students can read,' according to the book’s description on Gratz’s website."

Jennifer Pippin, a local Moms for Liberty activist, brought the book to the board's attention and board members justified voting for the ban on the grounds that the book was "teaching rebellion of school-board authority."

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Author Gratz noted the irony of the school board acting just like the villains in his book.

“They banned the book because it talks about the books that they have banned and because it talks about book banning,” he told the Tallahassee Democrat. “It feels like they know exactly what they’re doing and they’re somewhat ashamed of what they’re doing and they don’t want a book on the shelves that calls them out.”