TAMPA, Fla. — Citizens Defending Freedom, a non-profit organization aimed at helping Americans defend their faith and freedom, has been informed that Osceola County Schools will remove a violent, sexually graphic book series called “Assassination Classroom” from libraries district wide after Citizens Defending Freedom challenged the book.
Chris Fontenot, County Executive Director for Citizens Defending Freedom - Osceola County, received an email from Osceola County School District superintendent Dr. Debra Pace, saying that she has used her executive authority to pull the “Assassination Classroom” series from the shelves of every school in the county, after Citizens Defending Freedom challenged the book’s presence in Liberty High School.
Last week, Citizens Defending Freedom reported that the school district’s School Library Media Advisory Committee had acknowledged that the series contained “violence, cruelty, brutality, and aberrant behavior that would make this material inappropriate for children,” but said it would keep the book series in the Liberty High School library anyway.
Pace said she consulted the School Board’s General Counsel before making her executive decision, and canceled any further meetings with the School District Educational Media Materials Review Committee, noting that they would no longer be necessary.
“This is a great win for Citizens Defending Freedom in Osceola County, and we are thankful for Dr. Pace’s decisive leadership on this matter,” said Fontenot. “The ‘Assassination Classroom’ series is both violent and sexually graphic, and has no business in our children’s schools. We hope that other counties around the state will follow Osceola’s lead and ensure that this book series, along with any other age inappropriate materials, are not available to children in our school’s libraries.”
Citizens Defending Freedom’s Sarah Calamunci also weighed in.
"Our organization supports local school districts by keeping them informed when inappropriate content is found in their schools. We measure content against statute. We follow up our support with accountability to ensure the removal of content unsuitable for children in an ongoing effort to maintain safe learning environments for all students. While we pause to celebrate Osceola County for removing this book series, we know there are still districts across the state and beyond featuring age-inappropriate materials in their libraries. Therefore, our efforts continue."
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