Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis played a shocking video at the beginning of his Wednesday press conference that contained sexually explicit content detailed and illustrated in children’s books in various Florida school libraries.
Before showing the video, DeSantis had his staff warn the crowd in Tampa, Florida, that the video would show “material that is sexually explicit in nature and not suitable for children” — and all minors were led out of the room during the approximately six-minute screening.
Illustrations in the books included showing minors participating in sexual activity, engaging in sex acts, downloading apps that make it easier to have “casual intercourse,” and instructions on how to masturbate.
The content targeted to children was so explicit and graphic that the live stream from DeSantis’ press conference was cut on social media. Twitter also issued it a “sensitive content warning.”
“Here are the books parents found in Florida schools and reported to their school districts for removal,” the text on a slide in the video read. “What was found is shocking, graphic, and we warn you…is not appropriate for children.”
Parents who spoke at the press conference were shocked that the books were being given to their children by educators and teachers.
The recently signed law, “Parental Rights in Education,” bans public school teachers in Florida from discussing gender identity and sexual orientation from kindergarten through third grade; however, the state is considering expanding to the 8th grade.
DeSantis: “Hoax” that removing books is “book banning”
Gov. DeSantis criticized the presence of the graphic materials in school and raged against the “hoax” that removing these books from the classroom is a form of “book banning.”
“I just think parents, when they’re sending their kids to school, they should not have to worry about this garbage being in the schools,” said DeSantis.
Graphic books that Florida parents and DeSantis want removed from the schools are ones like Flamer, which shows through description and illustration young boys engaged in sex acts at a summer camp.
Another book called, This Book is Gay teaches students “the ins and outs of gay sex” and instructs two boys on engaging in anal sex.
Gender Queer, a graphic memoir, includes some of the most explicit content, including illustrations of sex and sex acts, masturbation, and promoting transgender surgeries like double mastectomies, equating the scars to tattoos.
DeSantis said the only reason for pushback on removing such books is if an educator is trying to advance a personal agenda instead of putting the student’s education first.
“Every minute you spend focusing on some of this pornographic stuff, that’s less time you’re spending on doing the things that really matter to our kids in terms of them getting the education they need in math and reading and all of these other things,” said the governor.
“The only way you make that decision, in my judgment, is if you’re putting your agenda ahead of the wellbeing of the students,” DeSantis continued.
“And that’s what we see too often.”
