Most Successful Writer Hailing from the USA - Stephen King's literary works prohibited from being accessible in school libraries within Florida
Stephen King isn't usually short on expressions, but a few choice words were enough to express his frustration last Sunday. The 76-year-old writer exclaimed, "What the hell?", on his Twitter account X, due to a situation.
The source of his anger: The state of Florida had prohibited 23 of his books from school libraries, as per his post. However, the actual number is significantly higher, affecting more than 50 of his works, according to U.S. media reports. King wasn't the only author impacted by this measure; hundreds of books were removed from libraries altogether.
The underlying cause for this action is the Florida Parental Rights in Education Act, also known as the "Don't Say Gay Law." Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed this bill into law in 2022. Its goal is to discourage classroom discussions about topics like sexual orientation or gender identity.
To achieve this, students in educational institutions should not be exposed to certain books. Among the novels deemed inappropriate for kids by the predominantly Republican-controlled legislature are Stephen King's popular titles like "Carrie," "It," and "The Running Man."
Classic literature is also under threat in Florida's libraries. Books like "Brave New World" by Aldous Huxley, Ernest Hemingway's "For Whom the Bell Tolls," and Mark Twain's "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer" are among those being banned. Even "The Diary of Anne Frank" is considered harmful to youth.
Resistance to the law is already growing. Stephen King's publisher, Simon & Schuster, along with five other major publishers, including Penguin Random House, HarperCollins Publishers, and Sourcebooks, have filed a lawsuit against the law. They aim to defend the right to free speech and the right to read, according to a joint statement.
Gov. Ron DeSantis, who unsuccessfully ran for the U.S. presidential nomination last year, has already commented on the law. He stated that Florida is an "education state," and this means providing students with a high-quality education, free from "sexualization and dangerous contents that are not age-appropriate."
Sources: "Newsweek", Stephen King on X
The following sentiment from Stephen King was added to his tweet, expressing his stronger disapproval: "Not only is this censorship, but it's also an attack on the freedom to read and learn." Further escalating the situation, King declared, "The following shall be added to the list of books banned in Florida: every single one of my works."
