TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Hillsborough County Public School Superintendent Van Ayres was grilled by state education leaders Wednesday over removing certain library books.

In May, Education Commissioner Manny Diaz sent a letter to the district over certain books on school library shelves. Weeks later, the Florida attorney general demanded that Hillsborough County Schools pull several books immediately, calling them “patently pornographic” and harmful to minors.

In response to the letter, the superintendent ordered hundreds of books on a state list to be removed from shelves and reviewed.

"These are nasty, disgusting books that have no place in a school in Florida," said Ryan Petty, Vice Chair of the State Department of Education, during the meeting.

Hillsborough County Schools were front and

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