Stephen King Slammed for False Book Ban Claim in Florida

Bestselling author Stephen King found himself in hot water after making an unfounded claim that Florida had banned 23 of his books. King’s statement, posted on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), quickly went viral, drawing over 14 million views. However, the horror writer was swiftly and decisively called out for misleading his followers about the true nature of Florida’s school library policies.

King’s post read, “Florida has banned 23 [of] my books. What the f***?” The 76-year-old author’s dramatic assertion was soon debunked, with numerous users pointing out that Florida has not outright banned any of his books. Instead, the state’s 2022 legislation focuses on removing sexually explicit material from school libraries and ensuring that available books are age-appropriate.

Social media users were quick to call out King’s exaggeration:

• “Babe, elementary school kids don’t need to be reading ‘The Shining.’ It’s not personal. It’s parenting,” one commenter noted, referencing one of King’s famous novels.

• Another user clarified, “Removing books from a SCHOOL library [because] they may not be appropriate for the age group is NOT a ban Mr. King. The parents can go to a public library in town or any bookstore in FL and purchase or check out any book they would like including yours.”

• A third added bluntly, “You’re lying. Some of your books that contain explicit sexual material were removed from elementary schools. But let’s talk about why you’re mad about this… Do you think it’s appropriate for children to read about orgies?”

Florida Department of Education spokesperson Sydney Booker also refuted King’s claim, stating, “There are no books banned in Florida. Sexually explicit material and instruction are not suitable for schools.”

King’s false claim is just the latest in a series of controversial statements he’s made regarding book removal policies. Previously, he encouraged young readers to seek out and read books that had been removed from school libraries, a stance that also drew criticism. Nick Freitas, a Republican member of the Virginia House of Delegates, pointed out the disturbing implications, saying, “I’m not sure Stephen understands how creepy this is, considering the materials that are being restricted are openly pornographic.”

Others echoed this sentiment, with Stephen Miller, a former senior adviser to President Trump, remarking, “Does this include pornography? Because I’m pretty sure parents don’t want you telling their children to access pornographic material.” The popular account Libs of TikTok summed up the issue, stating, “Periodic reminder that when they accuse us of ‘banning books,’ they’re referring to graphic books containing pornographic content. Stephen King wants your kids to have access to these books in school.”

King’s misrepresentation of the facts not only diminishes his credibility but also misleads the public about what’s truly at stake in the debate over school library content. As the backlash continues, it’s clear that Americans are not willing to stand by while false narratives are pushed to score political points.

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