NYC Gazette

A new white paper by researchers from UC San Diego and NYU reveals that K-12 educators and parents in Florida are facing significant challenges due to state policies. These policies, enacted since 2021, restrict instruction on topics such as race, sexual orientation, and gender identity. They also target student supports, expand material reviews for prohibited content, and encourage public challenges to educational materials based on broad criteria.

The report highlights that these policies have led to the removal of thousands of books from students, including classic literature. "Our data show state policies driving what we call a limitation effect—a cascade of pressures reaching down from the state, to the districts, to educators’ daily interactions with students that limit basic functions of education," said Mica Pollock, professor of education studies at UC San Diego.

Pollock and her co-author Hirokazu Yoshikawa, professor of applied psychology at NYU Steinhardt, analyzed qualitative surveys and interviews from 86 respondents—mostly educators and parents—conducted in late 2023 and early 2024. Their findings are published in "The Limitation Effect: Experiences of State Policy-Driven Education Restriction in Florida’s Public Schools."

According to the study, almost every respondent had witnessed efforts to restrict education on topics such as sexual orientation, gender identity, race, critical race theory, diversity equity and inclusion (DEI), culturally responsive education, African-American history, and ethnic studies. More than half reported all eight types of restrictions locally; three-quarters reported at least five types.

“To avoid punishment, including the threat of losing their jobs, K-12 system actors were withdrawing core elements that could benefit students across the education system,” said Yoshikawa. These elements included books on LGBTQ+ issues or racism, discussions about U.S. racial history in class, support clubs for LGBTQ+ students like Gender-Sexuality Alliance clubs, and professional development aimed at supporting students more effectively.

Examples cited include teachers boxing up classroom libraries to avoid punishment and avoiding books with potentially unauthorized content. Some students lost access to online libraries via their schools. Additionally, signs denoting safe spaces for LGBTQ+ populations were removed and supportive clubs were canceled or saw reduced attendance.

"As seen in these data," Pollock noted "K-12 system actors pressured by specific and multiple state policies were reducing education opportunity both to sub-groups of students and to all students." The report termed this outcome as "collective harm."

"The likely effects on students include the loss of learning and well-being that accompanies rich and diverse materials," added Yoshikawa. He warned that shared civic life might suffer when students lack opportunities to understand their peers' identities.

The study concludes with a call for further inquiry into how state restriction policies can reduce educational opportunities across political lines.

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