Story perspectives

Clay County Board Mulls Closing Libraries, Banning Fiction

7/24/2026

Summary

Story summary

Clay County School Board officials discussed eliminating school libraries and all fiction at a June 16 workshop in Florida.
Under HB 1069, a resident filed over 400 challenges that led to 287 books—including *The Handmaid’s Tale*, *Slaughterhouse-Five* and *The Color Purple*—being removed in one school year.
Chief academic officer Rodger Dailey suggested “nuclear options” like closing libraries, keeping only nonfiction, vetting books before return and converting the space to centres or labs.

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Story summary

Clay County School Board officials discussed eliminating school libraries and all fiction at a June 16 workshop in Florida.
Under HB 1069, a resident filed over 400 challenges that led to 287 books—including *The Handmaid’s Tale*, *Slaughterhouse-Five* and *The Color Purple*—being removed in one school year.
Chief academic officer Rodger Dailey suggested “nuclear options” like closing libraries, keeping only nonfiction, vetting books before return and converting the space to centres or labs.