TAMPA, Fla. — The Hillsborough County School Board has voted 4-3 to remove a book from all of its middle school libraries.

More than 60 people spoke Tuesday morning during the public comments portion of a Hillsborough County School Board special hearing regarding the removal of the book "This Book Is Gay."

The meeting was scheduled after a request to remove the book from the library at Pierce Middle School in Tampa was denied twice.

The public comments portion of the meeting had to be extended by 30 minutes.

The book was written by Juno Dawson, and according to an excerpt from the author, it was written to help young people who are beginning to explore their sexuality.

What You Need To Know

  • "This Book is Gay" is the first text to go before the Hillsborough County School Board for approval 

  • Parents' complaints were about the book's reference to Grindr, a dating app 

  • Initial complaints were filed last fall followed by appeals 

  • Pierce Middle School’s educational media materials committee said book was OK

Two parents filed formal complaints with the Hillsborough County School District last fall and the book was brought before Pierce Middle School’s educational media materials committee.

Both complaints state concerns with the book's reference to an LGBTQ dating app. Several people who spoke out against the book Tuesday gave similar examples.

“This book is not age appropriate, especially in a non-controlled setting (i.e. not in a classroom that teaches sexual education),” one complaint read. “Specifically, Chapter 9 which references apps that are geared towards hookups (Grindr).”

The school committee then reviewed the book and in a unanimous vote, the educators agreed the book was appropriate and should stay.

Those in favor of keeping the book though said cited excerpts do not explain the book in its entirety and that it’s important for students to have the ability to read it.

Some of the speakers opposing the book said they aren’t trying to ban books but that they don’t want it in the library. Others say it’s up to parents to decide what their kids read not what all kids read at Pierce Middle.

COMPLAINTS FILED AGAINST THE BOOK

“The committee identified that it is an informative text, written by an author who is a member of the LGBTQ+ teen community, that can be a resource for an underrepresented community. The concepts are presented in a manner that is appropriate for the potential young adult reader. Concepts are presented in a manner that also demonstrated cautions and dangers about teen navigating adult resources, such as dating apps,” the report reads in part.

An appeal was filed, and now it is up to the Hillsborough County School Board to determine if the text should stay or go. This is the first time a particular book has made it to the school board for review, a spokesperson for the district confirms.

Julie Gebherds is one of the parents who filed a complaint.

“There’s books available anywhere,” she said. “The issue is, as a parent, do I have the right to protect my child from material that I think is inappropriate? When you put it in front of them at school, you’ve taken away my right as a parent to protect my child from what I think is not appropriate for them.”

Parents do not have to have a child enrolled in a particular school in order to file a complaint there.