ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – As the new school year begins, one issue continues to dominate the headlines across the nation: book bans in schools.

What should children be allowed to read, and who gets to decide? This debate has become a battleground, drawing passionate voices on both sides. In Orange County, two passionate moms have found themselves on opposite sides of the issue.

At the heart of this debate are Stephana Ferrell, a mother of two, and Alicia Farrant, a mother of five and current OCPS School Board Member. Both moms are fighting for what they believe is the best path forward for the next generation, but their approaches couldn’t be more different.

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Alicia Farrant, who sits on the Orange County Public Schools School Board, has advocated for a system where the school board curates content to ensure that all material in school libraries is age-appropriate.

“I feel like it’s my job as a school board member to make sure that we protect and defend every child who comes into our schools,” Farrant said, emphasizing the role of school boards in safeguarding children’s welfare.

On the other hand, Stephana Ferrell believes banning books from schools, especially without a thorough review process, infringes on her children’s freedom to learn.

“I don’t believe that you protect innocence with ignorance,” Ferrell argues, pointing out her children deserve access to books that reflect the world they will soon enter-not just a sanitized version of reality.

For decades, book challenges were handled through a clear process: If a parent or community member took issue with a book, a committee would review it and make an informed decision. However, recent years have seen a shift. In some cases, school boards have started removing books without individual reviews. This trend has sparked even more controversy, as critics argue it deprives students of academic freedom.

In Florida, where the debate has reached a fever pitch, the state Department of Education recently directed Hillsborough County to remove 55 books from school libraries. OCPS followed suit, citing state regulations as the reason for their actions.

The conversation around book bans has gotten even more heated, particularly when it comes to books containing graphic content. Some materials being challenged contain graphic depictions of sex or even molestation-content many feel is inappropriate for children. OCPS School Board Chair Teresa Jacobs expressed concerns about navigating these waters.

“It’s actually criminal violation if you have pornography on the shelves,” Jacobs said. “So that’s serious, but the definition of pornography is mind-boggling.”

The fight over book bans is just one part of a larger conversation about education in America. While the debate over what’s appropriate for school libraries rages on, some argue that the larger issue of students’ reading levels is being overlooked.

In Orange County, about 50% of students are reading at grade level.