The Francis Howell School District in O’Fallon, MO, has implemented a new policy allowing for the removal of books containing explicit content and restricting conversations about gender identity. Meanwhile, in Texas, similar controversies are brewing as one district considers banning books related to gender fluidity and another seeks to amend its policy after Advanced Placement titles were removed from libraries.
The school board in Francis Howell School District approved a proposal to ban books with explicit content, alcohol and drug use, profanity, and purposeful conduct that could be criminal. Residents and staff can request book removal, effective immediately. In Texas, the Katy ISD is reviewing and removing books, including those dealing with gender fluidity. In Conroe ISD, librarians requested clarification on a new book policy following the removal of Advanced Placement books.
In a separate incident, an Oklahoma teacher had her license revoked for giving students access to banned books from the Brooklyn Public Library. Ohio’s Troy City Schools will now notify parents of the books their children check out, while a Virginia district upheld its policy locking away sexually explicit books.
Efforts to remove books from school libraries are also taking place in Tennessee, where the Rutherford County School Board is set to vote on the removal of seven books. In Texas, Mission Consolidated ISD received a list of 676 books deemed “filthy and evil” by local pastors.
Changes are also happening in Alabama libraries as they update children’s sections, while Michigan is seeing increased political tensions as conservatives push to ban certain books from libraries. The battle over controversial books continues to evolve in various states, sparking debates over free speech and censorship.
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