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Hillsborough County School board votes to remove 'This Book is Gay' from all middle schools

In a 4-3 decision the Hillsborough County School board decided to remove the book not just from Pierce Middle School, but all middle schools.

TAMPA, Fla. — After plenty of discussion, and listening to a long line of public comments from both sides of the issue, the Hillsborough County School Board eventually voted 4-3 in favor of removing a book titled, "This Book is Gay," by Juno Dawson from all Hillsborough County middle schools.

More members might have voted to remove it if the motion was specific to just Pierce Middle School, the only middle school to have a copy of the book.

Before the school board came to their decision, outside the Hillsborough County school building protesters were making their voices heard.

"This is part of the larger right wing backlash to ban any type of representation that’s going to make marginalized communities feel safe” a demonstrator at the meeting, Karla Correa, said.

This all started last year, when a concerned parent complained the book was too graphic to be in the Pierce Middle School library. More parents echoed those concerns at Tuesday's meeting.

"We have given you the gift of teaching our children and this book has to go," one parent urged the board.

A big part of the board’s conversation surrounded whether the book was age appropriate. 

“Based on my information, I also think this is not appropriate for a sixth grader," Nadia Combs, chair of the Hillsborough County School Board, said.

The issue was specific to Pierce Middle School but Superintendent Addison Davis took it one step further.

"My recommendation is remove "This Book is Gay" from all middle schools in Hillsborough County," he said.

On the other side of the issue some students said the book could be a helpful resource during the public comment section. According to the book, listed on Amazon, it covers topics regarding LGBTQ stereotypes, coming out, and includes real stories from people across the LGBTQ spectrum.

"For LGBT teens having books like 'This [Book] is Gay' can provide life saving info," one person said.

Previously, a committee from the school reviewed the book and decided to keep it, however that was appealed, and in February, a district committee that reviewed the book agreed with the original decision to keep it. The board said they missed important elements in those reviews.

"What they did not take, it seems, to consideration is the age appropriateness of the book as well as the highly sexual content. It's very explicit," board member Stacy Hahn said.

This only applies to Hillsborough County middle schools, the book will still be allowed in high schools.  

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