The Escambia School District is asking a federal judge to dismiss a lawsuit that was filed in the midst of the recent "book banning" controversy. The lawsuit was filed in May by five authors, the publishing company Penguin Random House, and the free-speech group PEN America. In a 36-page motion filed Monday in Pensacola federal court, the district says it has the authority to decide what books will be allowed in schools. The motion goes on to say that Florida's new law "takes final decision-making authority out of the school board's hands", thereby shielding the district from allegations of first-amendment violations.
