Statement: PEN America Calls Dept of Education Action on Book Bans “Alarming” and “Dismissive”

Ed. Note: We will be updating this post with additional statements and media reports as we learn of them.

Statement From PEN America (Full Text):

In response to action taken today by the U.S. Department of Education dismissing complaints about book bans and referring to them as a “hoax,” PEN America issued the comments below:

Kasey Meehan, director, Freedom to Read, at PEN America, said: “For over three years we have countered rhetoric that book bans occurring in public schools are a ‘hoax.’ They are absolutely not. This kind of language from the U.S. Department of Education is alarming and dismissive of the students, educators, librarians, and authors who have firsthand experiences of censorship happening within school libraries and classrooms.

Since 2021, we have meticulously recorded nearly 16,000 instances of book bans nationwide – where access to books is revoked from their intended readers – often without following commonsense processes and increasingly due to censorial legislation from states.

We will continue to raise awareness and resistance to ongoing book bans in defense of students’ freedom to read. All students deserve to see themselves and the world around them reflected in the books shelved within their public schools.“

Since 2021, PEN America has documented nearly 16,000 book bans in public schools nationwide, a number not seen since the Red Scare McCarthy era of the 1950s. This censorship organized by conservative groups predominantly targets books about race and racism by authors of color and also books on LGBTQ+ topics as well those for older readers that have sexual references or discuss sexual violence.

See Also: Full Text of US Dept of Ed Post (1/24/2024): U.S. Department of Education Ends Biden’s Book Ban Hoax

Statement From EveryLibrary

EveryLibrary strongly opposes the Trump Administration’s decision to terminate critical civil rights complaints filed with the US Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR), particularly those concerning book bans that serve as a form of discrimination and erasure in our nation’s schools.

By ending 11 investigations, terminating the consent decree in Forsyth County Schools—a landmark resolution that addressed the harmful effects of discriminatory book bans—and diminishing OCR’s ability to investigate similar cases, the Trump Administration is failing to protect students from hostile and discriminatory educational environments.

The facts surrounding the Forsyth County situation are clear and concerning. In May 2023, the OCR investigation found that the district’s removal of books featuring LGBTQ+ and racial minority characters was found to have created a hostile environment for students. Students’ families reported that the bans made their school environment feel harsher, with LGBTQ+ students expressing fears over losing their previously safe spaces. Students of color indicated that the removal of books with diverse characters made it difficult for them to see themselves represented in their school libraries. The OCR concluded that the district’s actions, along with insufficient communication with students and community members, created a racially and sexually hostile environment that violated Title VI and Title IX.

Title VI and Title XI are foundational civil rights laws enacted to ensure that students in educational settings are free from discrimination. Title IX prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex, including protections for sexual orientation and gender identity, ensuring equal access to education and school resources. Title VI prohibits discrimination based on race, color, or national origin, safeguarding students against racial bias and fostering equitable access to educational programs. Together, these laws are important tools to ensure that schools remain settings where all students can learn and thrive without fear of exclusion or harassment.

Instead of addressing these documented harms, the Trump Administration has dismissed this case and 11 other similar ones, labeling such complaints as “meritless” and ignoring the documented instances of censorship, harassment, and discrimination in schools. Why is censorship, which silences students and restricts their access to education, not a priority for the administration? Why is the Office for Civil Rights being stripped of its capacity to hold districts accountable for these actions?

From the outset of the fight against discriminatory book bans in Forsyth County, EveryLibrary has stood with those families and students. We have proudly supported the Forsyth County Education Coalition, a local group of parents, educators, and activists dedicated to opposing censorship and ensuring an inclusive educational environment for all students. We have been inspired by their success in protecting their students. Because of their example, we have published resources for families and educators nationwide, outlining how the OCR’s complaint process can be used to address discrimination stemming from book bans. EveryLibrary remains committed to supporting families in Forsyth County and beyond who are advocating for their children’s right to a fair and equitable education.

Censorship in school libraries is a real issue. Since 2021, organizations such as PEN America have documented nearly 16,000 instances of book bans, disproportionately targeting books about race, racism, and LGBTQ+ topics. These actions harm students by denying them access to diverse voices, perspectives, and stories that reflect their own experiences and identities.

EveryLibrary echos PEN’s condemnation of the administration’s dismissal of these documented realities as a “hoax” and its decision to eliminate the OCR’s “book ban coordinator,” a role established to combat this rising tide of censorship. These actions are detrimental to students, educators, librarians, and families who have fought for a fairer, more inclusive education system.

We urge the public, educators, and lawmakers to remain vigilant and continue to stand against the discriminatory impacts of censorship. Title IX and Title VI were enacted to protect children in schools, and those protections must not be undermined by political agendas or dismissive rhetoric. EveryLibrary will continue to advocate for those who challenge discriminatory book bans and to uphold the freedom to read for every student in every school.

Statement From American Library Association (added 1/26)

The American Library Association released the following statement in response to the January 24th announcement that the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) is arbitrarily dismissing student and parent complaints arising out of public schools’ documented acts of censorship and discrimination:

In their cruel and headlong effort to terminate protections from discrimination for LGBTQIA+ students and students of color, the Department of Education advances the demonstrably false claim that book bans are not real.

Book bans are real. Ask students who cannot access literary classics required for college or parents whose children can’t check out a book about gay penguins at their school library. Ask school librarians who have lost their jobs for protecting the freedom to read. While a parent has the right to guide their own children’s reading, their beliefs and prejudices should not dictate what another parent chooses for their own children.

The new administration is not above the U.S. Constitution. Federal judges have repeatedly ruled that removing books from school library shelves based on the objections of a person or group, or due to prejudice against a group – book banning– is unconstitutional censorship that violates students’ First Amendment rights. Already several states have wasted countless taxpayer dollars defending lawsuits that seek to vindicate students’ Constitutional right to read freely in a safe and supportive environment.

Everyone, everywhere, regardless of their age, background, or political views, deserves access to information from a wide range of perspectives and books that reflect their lived experiences. Libraries have provided that access for hundreds of years. We won’t stop offering access to the world of ideas, and we won’t back down from defending everyone’s Constitutional right to access and read any idea free from government censorship.

The antidote to attacks on libraries is action. Americans must reject threats to our right to read and believe as we wish and demand well-resourced libraries in every institution of learning. Now is the time for all Americans to show up for our libraries. Show up and use our libraries. Show up at library and school board meetings to support students’ access to diverse reading materials. Show up when elected leaders are deciding the fate of facts and the freedom to read.

MORE UPDATES

Statements

• Forsyth Georgia Coalition for Education (FC4Ed) Strongly Opposes the Trump Administration’s Department of Education (1/24)

Media Reports

• Education Department Rescinds Biden-era Book Ban Guidance (via K-12 Dive; 1/24)
• Trump Administration Dismisses Complaints Related to Book Bans (via Reuters; 1/24)
• Education Dept. Ends Book Ban Investigations (via NY Times; 1/24)
• U.S. Dept. of Education Dismisses Book Ban Complaints, Rescinds Agreement in Civil Rights Violations in Forsyth County Book Removals (via SLJ; 1/24)
• Department of Education Dismisses Book Ban Complaints (via The Hill; 1/24)

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