58 books removed from Walton County schools’ libraries cause controversy

WALTON COUNTY, Fla. (WJHG/WECP) - Dozens of books were recently taken off Walton County schools library shelves, leading to concern on social media and during the school board meeting Tuesday.

District officials confirmed 58 were removed from libraries throughout all schools. Officials said there is always a process for books being removed from library shelves. They add curriculum comes from the Florida Department of Education on which books can and can’t be on the library shelves.

Officials said what might be appropriate to some, might not be appropriate to others. That’s why officials said doing the right thing for the safety and concern of all was at the core of their decision to pull the 58 books.

“What is necessary varies. I don’t know if I define the word ‘necessary’ as necessary to those who are opposing, necessary to those who didn’t want to, it was necessary in this moment for me to make that decision and I did it for just a welfare of all involved, including our constituents, our teachers, and our students. I’ll continue to do those things and perhaps add some,” Walton County School Superintendent A. Russell Hughes said.

District officials said they want to provide all the necessary books students need for learning, growth, and what fits the needs of the community.

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