The St. Johns County School District is assuring parents that it does not use Beanstack, an online reading platform flagged by Florida education officials for allegedly pushing political ideology and offering inappropriate content to students.
The clarification came in an email sent to parents this week, following a strongly worded directive issued by Acting Florida Education Commissioner Anastasios Kamoutsas.
In the memo, sent to administrators at all public and charter schools statewide, Kamoutsas wrote that Beanstack “provides access to material that is not age or developmentally appropriate for students.”
Kamoutsas accused the platform of undermining state policy and parental rights, stating, “Beanstack’s attempt to push an ideology, subvert parental rights, and ignore Florida policy is divisive and problematic.”
He warned administrators that they are now “on notice” and are responsible for adherence to state law.
Beanstack is commonly used in school districts and public libraries across the country to encourage reading through digital challenges and tracking tools. It often allows schools to curate reading lists and engage students in literacy programs.
But Florida education officials say certain content available through the platform violates state laws passed in recent years aimed at increasing transparency in instructional materials and strengthening parental rights over what children are exposed to in the classroom.
The letter did not offer any specific examples of objectionable material.
St. Johns County School District officials emphasized in their message to families that they do not currently use Beanstack in any form.
The district said the notice from the state was sent to all Florida school leaders as a precaution and that it reviewed its own systems to confirm full compliance with the directive.
The warning is part of a broader effort by the Florida Department of Education to examine digital learning tools and ensure they align with state law, particularly regarding age-appropriateness and ideological neutrality.
