Former Fox News host Bill O’Reilly, a once ardent supporter of book ban laws in Florida, is now expressing outrage after discovering his own books are under scrutiny. O’Reilly took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to voice his disbelief over Escambia County’s decision to remove his books, “Killing Jesus” and “Killing Reagan,” from its schools for review.
O’Reilly’s unexpected turn: from supporter to critic of Florida’s book bans
“Preposterous!” O’Reilly stated emphatically in his post. “We are investigating and are seeking comment from @GovRonDeSantis. This will not stand.”
This unexpected turn of events comes as O’Reilly’s titles were included in a list of 1,000 books temporarily removed for investigation under state law, a move reported by Newsweek. The controversy arises amid a broader conservative campaign in Florida against educational content deemed objectionable, including the prohibition of critical race theory teaching and the implementation of extensive book bans. Critics argue these bans disproportionately target LGBTQ+ topics and authors.
Speaking to the Pensacola News Journal, an Escambia schools representative clarified that the books are temporarily under review, not permanently banned, to verify alignment with the recent legislation signed by Florida Governor and GOP presidential hopeful, Ron DeSantis.
O’Reilly vs DeSantis
Previously, the commentator was a vocal proponent of such measures. “When DeSantis signed the book law, I supported the theme because there was abuse going on in Florida,” O’Reilly explained to Newsweek. He believed the laws were necessary to counteract what he saw as far-left agendas being imposed on children.
However, O’Reilly’s stance has shifted following the inclusion of his books in the ban. He now criticises the laws’ “far too nebulous” wording and urges DeSantis to publicly denounce the removal of his works as “insane.”
Read: Dictionaries among books removed from Florida school district
While maintaining his view that some books are indeed inappropriate for schools and should be banned, O’Reilly calls for more precise legal language. “You can’t be throwing John Grisham under the bus, it’s absurd,” he stated, emphasising the need to specifically address genuinely harmful materials in the laws.
In a further reaction, O’Reilly has vowed to identify and publicly expose the individuals responsible for the removal of his books from the district, planning to feature their photos on television and his website.
Read: Florida school board: toss Penguin Random House book ban lawsuit
O’Reilly’s career at Fox News, spanning over two decades, ended in 2017 amid sexual harassment allegations, which he has denied. Despite this, his influence and commentary continue to hold sway among conservative circles, making his recent criticism of Florida’s book ban laws particularly noteworthy.