Hillsborough Schools Begin Placing ‘Gulf of America’ Stickers on Textbooks

TAMPA — Schools across Hillsborough County have begun placing correctional stickers on textbooks and other instructional materials to comply with a new state law requiring references to the “Gulf of Mexico” be changed to the “Gulf of America.”

One sticker being affixed to materials reads:

Educational Clarification
Geographic Update:
In accordance with Florida HB 549, the body of water historically referred to as the Gulf of Mexico is now designated as the Gulf of America. Any references in this textbook to the Gulf of Mexico should be understood as referring to the Gulf of America.

The rollout follows the signing of House Bill 549 by Gov. Ron DeSantis in April 2025, which requires K-12 instructional materials purchased after July 1 to use the term “Gulf of America.” A companion measure, House Bill 575, changes 92 references in Florida statutes to reflect the new name.

During a recent school board meeting, member Nadia Combs questioned who would bear the cost of updating materials. Chief Academic Officer Gary Brady told board members that textbook publishers would provide labels for instructional materials, including electronic resources. However, the district will be responsible for identifying and labeling nonfiction library materials brought into the system after July 1, 2025.

Brady said district staff would likely use search terms to identify affected books and print labels for placement. He noted that books on topics such as marine life or Gulf Coast states could contain references requiring correction.

The legislation was championed by Republican lawmakers including Joe Gruters and Nick DiCeglie, who praised the measure as ensuring state law and school materials reflect what they describe as a factual designation. Senate President Ben Albritton also celebrated the bill’s passage.

Other Florida districts have begun implementing similar stickers, though exact wording varies. Hillsborough County’s effort marks a visible steps toward more explicit political influence on educational curricula in Florida schools.