Governor Backs Book Bill Targeting Folks Like Clay's Bruce Friedman

DeSantis Says 'Bad Faith Objections' Should Have a $100 Pricetag

Gov. Ron DeSantis has endorsed legislation to change state law on how objections to books in school libraries are handled. (DeSantis Facebook page)

The man who has drawn national attention to Clay County because of his prodigious—and some say indiscriminate—efforts to rid schools of objectionable books says he won’t stop making challenges even if Florida lawmakers make him pay to play.

Yesterday, Gov. Ron DeSantis backed portions of a bill before the Florida House that he says will limit “bad-faith objections” to school library books and other written educational materials. The bill appears to have been crafted with anti-porn crusader Bruce Friedman of Middleburg in mind.

The bill would allow districts to charge a $100 “processing fee” for unsuccessful book challenges. The fees would only apply to people who do “not have a student enrolled in the school where the material is located” and have “unsuccessfully objected to five materials during the calendar year.”

Friedman does not have a child in Clay district schools, and he boasts of having successfully challenged “over 300 pornographic titles that will not be going back on the shelves, ever.” He told Clay News & Views that there are “hundreds more pornographic items” still on the shelves.

According to a House staff analysis of the bill, Florida had 1,218 book objections during the 2022-2023 school year alone, resulting in removal of 386 books, most in Clay and Escambia counties.

“Although we like people wanting to be involved in what's going on, to just show up and object to every single book under the sun, that is not an appropriate situation here. And we have seen that occasionally," DeSantis said.

“If you have a kid in school, okay. But if you're somebody who doesn't have a kid in schools, and you're going to object to 100 books—no, I don't think that that's appropriate.”

Reached by CN&V, Friedman vowed to press on even if the legislation passes. “I'm not backing down,” he said. “Regardless of new pending legislation, policy changes and fees or other limitations, everyone should expect my efforts to continue until a rubric is in place and the ALA's corrupt influence is ejected from our schools.”

Friedman was referring to the American Library Association, which is perceived as having a progressive agenda by advocacy groups such as Mom’s for Liberty, past allies to Friedman. But even local members of that group are losing patience with what they say is Friedman’s overbroad definition of porn.

Tanya Kacsan is a former teacher and current Chapter Chair of Moms for Liberty, Clay County. “You would be so much more effective if you would stick to pornography books,” she told Friedman recently. “I have read many of your challenges, and many failed to fit the description of obscenity/pornography.”

Friedman said his crusade will continue until the Clay School Board adopts a reviewing system that addresses writings that fit his notions of pornography. “I've asked the school board to create a rubric and guideline, one that defines appropriateness for each age group,” he said.

 “They've been given a template and many opportunities to do right by America's children. The porn is still there. Their inaction makes them complicit.”