The U.S. Department of Education announced on Friday the dismissal of 11 complaints related to so-called "book bans," rejecting the Biden administration's stance on the issue. The department also eliminated the position of "book ban coordinator," a role established under the previous administration to investigate school districts and parents concerned about potentially inappropriate materials in school libraries.
The department clarified that the dismissed complaints revolved around the removal of books deemed age-inappropriate, sexually explicit, or obscene. They argued that these removals did not create a hostile environment for students, contrary to the previous administration's claims.
Acting Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, Craig Trainor, stated that these actions reaffirm the principle of local control over education, empowering parents and teachers to determine what's best for their children and communities. He emphasized that the Office for Civil Rights would no longer second-guess these local decisions.
Six additional pending allegations were also dismissed. The DOE characterized the book removals as "meritless" and based on a "dubious legal theory." They asserted that school districts and parents have established reasonable procedures for evaluating and removing inappropriate materials.
The initial complaint, filed in February 2022 against the Forsyth County School District in Georgia, alleged violations of Title IX and Title VI due to the removal of eight books containing sexually explicit content. The Department of Education stated that the OCR's Atlanta office initially sought to dismiss the complaint, but the Biden administration overruled this decision. The school district subsequently agreed to a resolution under threat of federal intervention. The department now intends to terminate this agreement.
