PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — Less than a month after a national controversy over removing a movie on civil rights icon Ruby Bridges from a St. Petersburg elementary school, the district on Tuesday lifted a ban on "The Bluest Eye" by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Toni Morrison.
In a move that drew national attention, district officials banned the book from school libraries earlier this year under State Board of Education Rule 6A-7.015.
But the district reversed course after a team of six library media specialists and a district coordinator for libraries media read the book and lifted the ban.
A district spokesperson says the book will be available for high school students at district library media centers for high schools. No parental permission will be required to check out the book.
Emerald Morrow is an investigative reporter with 10 Tampa Bay. Like her on Facebook and follow her on Twitter. You can also email her at emorrow@10tampabay.com.