Escambia Board member says Holocaust novel returns to shelves

Pensacola residents who rely on school libraries for historical texts will see one key title return to the shelves. School Board member Carissa Bergosh confirmed in an email on Oct. 22 that 'The Devil's Arithmetic' will be made available to middle and high school students. The novel, which recounts the Holocaust, had been voted out of the district's collection just two days earlier.

The timeline of the decision began with a standard board vote. On Oct. 20, the Escambia County School Board voted 4-0 to remove 256 books from the district. 'The Devil's Arithmetic' was included in that list. The board approved the removals without holding a public discussion. Teacher Leigh Anne Eubanks warned members during the meeting that the district owns 203 copies of the novel. She noted that the book is a recommended part of Florida's Holocaust curriculum. She also pointed out that the state list from Clay County, which prompted the removal, gave no reason for banning the book.

The reversal began the morning after the vote. Bergosh received a phone call from a constituent in her District 4. The caller explained that the book is a historical account of the Nazi German government, not the supernatural story its title might suggest. Bergosh then contacted the director of academics in Clay County. That official stated the book had been re-reviewed and found appropriate for older students. The Clay County official said the book was inadvertently placed on the removal list and would be corrected in their records.

Bergosh acted on that information immediately. She called Denny Wilson, the assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction. According to her email, Wilson reviewed the book with his staff and agreed it should be available. Bergosh stated she is working with the superintendent to place the book back into libraries as soon as possible. She noted that she had resolved the issue before she saw a written message from the same constituent.

The constituent is Lauren Anzaldo, a mother and military spouse in District 4. Anzaldo had written to Bergosh to protest the vote. She asked why 256 titles were removed without public discussion. In a reply on Oct. 23, Anzaldo thanked Bergosh for responding but said the explanation hardly improves the matter. Anzaldo argued that the board's policy requires Escambia to follow another Florida district's decision if it finds a book inappropriate. She noted that this policy means staff do not duplicate the review process. Anzaldo questioned how many of the other 255 books were removed for similar reasons.

Anzaldo raised concerns about the consistency of the process. She pointed out that Bergosh acted after a constituent with her cell number called. Anzaldo wrote that members of the public who spoke at the meeting received no direct response. She also asked who will call about the other titles if they were listed by mistake. Anzaldo described the episode as wasteful. She cited the staff time spent purchasing and processing books, and the time spent reviewing and replacing one. She stated that the district has thrown away hundreds of books.

Bergosh defended the board's approach in her email. She said she believes school libraries must contain safe books. She defined safe books as those free of pornographic, sexual, rape, suicide, or other inappropriate content. Bergosh added that she is guided by the mission of educating children safely while being fiscally responsible with taxpayer funds.

Questions remain about the broader list of removed titles. It is not yet clear if the full board will vote to reinstate 'The Devil's Arithmetic' or if the staff review overrides the earlier 4-0 decision. The board has not publicly admitted a mistake in the mass removal, though Clay County has said it made an error. The district has not announced when the novel will physically return to school libraries.