Escambia County School Board adopts new policies tightening review and challenges to instructional and library materials

The Escambia County School Board on its October 2025 agenda adopted two policies that tighten the district’s review and challenge procedures for instructional and library materials, voting unanimously, 5-0, to approve Policy 2520 (selection and adoption of instructional materials) and Policy 2522 (challenges to instructional, library and reading-list materials).

The policies change how titles can be challenged and reviewed and were the focus of an extended public forum in which teachers, librarians, parents and students urged the board to restore books already removed from school and classroom libraries and to clarify how the new rules will be implemented.

Jenna Henderson, an Escambia County educator and elementary media specialist, told the board: “On the agenda tonight are updates to policies regarding the selection and adoption of instructional and library materials.” Henderson and other speakers said the board’s June decision to remove hundreds of titles — including many that had previously cleared local review processes — has left classroom libraries and school media centers depleted and prompted lawsuits.

Multiple speakers said national and…