NEW YORK (AP) 鈥� Organizations that track the are denouncing a Department of Education announcement that called bans a 鈥渉oax鈥� and dismissed 11 complaints that had been filed during the Biden administration. A conservative group praised the department's actions as 鈥渨elcome news.鈥�
Over the past few years, and the have reported thousands of bans around the country, with targeted books often containing LGBTQ+ or racial themes, from Maia Kobabe's graphic memoir, 鈥淕ender Queer,鈥� to Angie Thomas' novel, 鈥淭he Hate U Give.鈥�
Many of the removals were organized by Moms for Liberty and other conservative organizations that advocate for more parental input over what books are available to students. Legislatures in and among other states passed laws that restrict the contents of library books and give parents and other local residents more power to challenge books.
The Biden administration had criticized the removals and appointed a coordinator to handle complaints. But the Trump administration last week , eliminating the coordinator's position and ruling the complaints were without merit.
鈥淭he department is beginning the process of restoring the fundamental rights of parents to direct their children鈥檚 education,鈥� the department's acting assistant secretary for civil rights, Craig Trainor, said in a statement. The DOE's announcement is headlined: 鈥淯.S. Department of Education Ends Biden鈥檚 Book Ban Hoax.鈥�
Such language is "alarming and dismissive of the students, educators, librarians, and authors who have firsthand experiences of censorship happening within school libraries and classrooms,鈥� said Kasey Meehan, who directs PEN America's Freedom to Read program.
The library association called the department's announcement part of a 鈥渃ruel and headlong effort to terminate protections from discrimination for LGBTQIA+ students and students of color.鈥�
鈥淏ook bans are real,鈥� the association's statement reads in part. 鈥淎sk students who cannot access literary classics required for college or parents whose children can鈥檛 check out a book about gay penguins ('And Tango Makes Three') 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鈥檚 reading, their beliefs and prejudices should not dictate what another parent chooses for their own children.鈥�
Nicole Neily, president of Parents Defending Education, said the department's ending investigations into 鈥渟o-called 鈥榖ook-banners鈥欌�� was 鈥渨elcome news.鈥�
鈥淔or years, parents have said they deserve to know if sexually explicit materials were available to young children, and they were maligned by the media and the Biden Administration for it,鈥� she added.
Hillel Italie, The Associated Press
