Organizations tracking the removal of books from schools and libraries have expressed concern over a recent announcement from the Department of Education that described such bans as a “hoax.” The announcement dismissed 11 complaints filed during the Biden administration, which drew applause from conservative groups, who hailed it as "welcome news." This move has sparked significant backlash from advocacy organizations like PEN America and the American Library Association (ALA), which have documented thousands of book removals across the United States, often targeting works with LGBTQ+ and racially diverse themes.
Books such as Maia Kobabe's graphic memoir "Gender Queer" and Angie Thomas's novel "The Hate U Give" have been part of these censorship efforts. The removals have been prominently orchestrated by Moms for Liberty and other conservative organizations advocating for increased parental control over school library contents. In several states, such as Iowa and Florida, legislative measures have been passed that limit library book contents while empowering parents and local community members to challenge available materials more easily.
The Biden administration previously criticized these book removals and assigned a coordinator to manage complaints regarding censorship. However, the Trump administration recently reversed these initiatives by eliminating the coordinator's role and declaring the complaints as unfounded. Craig Trainor, the acting assistant secretary for civil rights at the Department of Education, stated that the department was "beginning the process of restoring the fundamental rights of parents to direct their children’s education.” His statement was accompanied by the department's announcement, titled “U.S. Department of Education Ends Biden’s Book Ban Hoax.”
Kasey Meehan, who directs PEN America’s Freedom to Read program, criticized the department’s language as “alarming and dismissive” towards students, educators, librarians, and authors who have experienced censorship in school settings. The ALA also condemned the announcement, deeming it a "cruel and headlong effort to terminate protections from discrimination for LGBTQIA+ students and students of color." They emphasized that “book bans are real,” urging people to consider the students who cannot access essential literary works or the parents unable to find books like “And Tango Makes Three” about LGBTQ+ themes for their children. The association highlighted that while parents should guide their own children's readings, this should not dictate what other families can choose for theirs.
On the other hand, Nicole Neily, president of Parents Defending Education, welcomed the Department of Education's decision to cease investigations into what she termed as “so-called ‘book-banners.’” She argued that parents have consistently expressed the need to be informed about sexually explicit materials that are accessible to young children, and she criticized the media and the Biden administration for allegedly maligning their concerns.
This ongoing debate emphasizes the tension surrounding educational content in schools, notably concerning the rights of parents versus the access and freedom of students to diverse literary materials. As more states consider legislation to address these issues, the conversation around book bans, censorship, and the educational rights of children is more relevant than ever.
