Hillsborough schools under state fire again over library book

Education Commissioner Anastasios Kamoutsas pointed a finger directly at Superintendent Van Ayres.

Tampa Bay Times | By Divya Kumar | August 5, 2025

Hillsborough County schools have caught the attention of the state again.

Almost two months after a scathing letter and verbal questioning of district Superintendent Van Ayres at a state board meeting over books the state deemed inappropriate, Education Commissioner Anastasios Kamoutsas called out the superintendent in a post to X on Monday evening.

He posted a picture of the book “Trans Mission: My Quest to a Beard,” a memoir by transgender YouTuber Alex Bertie that is available in nine high schools in Hillsborough County, according to the media catalogue. The book is also available at one school in Pinellas County. The book was challenged in Clay County, but returned to shelves.

The district “continues to expose students to inappropriate content in their media centers, even after the State Board of Education addressed the issue,” Kamoutsas wrote. Tagging Ayres, he added: “I expect this to be remedied immediately or you can expect another invite to our next meeting.”

The post was shared by the newest Desantis appointee to the state Board of Education, Layla Collins, who ran against and lost to board member Nadia Combs for a spot on the Hillsborough County school board last fall.

In her post, Collins singled out both Combs and board chairperson Jessica Vaughn.

“The responsibility for this lays squarely on the Hillsborough County School Board’s Chair … who refuses to follow laws,” she wrote. “She’s backed up by her counterparts like (Combs). The laws are clear. They are not suggestions. Follow the law!”

In an interview, Vaughn said it was unclear why she and Combs were singled out, and she was disappointed the only communication they received was via social media tags. Vaughn said the board did not vote on the book and no complaints had been raised about it, but she listened to the audiobook Tuesday morning. She said the book describes anatomy, but it was unclear what law the content violatedA.

“I can say myself and my fellow board members have reiterated time and time again that we’re committed to following the law,” she said. “I have repeatedly asked for a cooperative relationship with the Department of Education, as we all have, and said if there’s something that that we’re doing that violates something, be explicit about it. Be clear about it. I don’t understand why it constantly has to be this adversarial, attacking, divisive, accusatory approach to solving problems in education. We are focused on the important things that matter to our families, to our community.”

Vaughn said asking questions was not against the law, and the entire seven-person board was in favor of following the law.

Combs also wished for more clarity from the state.

“No one wants inappropriate books in schools,” she said. “If there’s a specific book or list, that just needs to be sent out.”

It is unclear what action the district plans to take. A spokesperson for the district did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The social media posts came less than a week after Kamoutsas participated in an education roundtable with Gov. Ron DeSantis at a Hillsborough County charter school, during which the governor addressed a wide range of topics and made references to his actions in removing former State Attorney Andrew Warren and school board members in Broward County.

Combs said she did not wish to engage further with the state about it.

“I’m going to focus on why I was elected and just continue focusing on the students and servicing my schools and servicing the parents,” she said. “I don’t care about anything else. I’m just going to focus on that. I’m not going to get in all this drama. I don’t want it. I don’t care about it. I’m not interested.”