QUANTICO, VA– The American Civil Liberties Union last week sued the Department of Defense’s school system for children of military families for violating students’ First Amendment protections against government censorship by removing race and gender-related books and curricula.
According to KCRA News, the suit was filed in the U.S. District Court in northeast Virginia, and stated educational materials were removed in line with an executive order issued by President Donald Trump in January.
Trump’s executive order forbids the school system from “promoting, advancing, or otherwise inculcating … un-American, divisive, discriminatory, radical, extremist, and irrational theories” related to race and gender, wrote KCRA, adding Diaz said the suit was filed on behalf of 12 students enrolled in schools in Virginia, Kentucky, Italy and Japan.
Natalie Tolley, a plaintiff on behalf of her three children, made a statement published by the ACLU of Virginia, noting, “children.. deserve access to books that both mirror their own life experiences and that act as windows that expose them to greater diversity.”
According to the ACLU suit, a range of content has been removed from school library shelves as a result of Trump’s executive order, said KCRA News.
Stripped content includes a chapter on sexuality and gender for an Advanced Placement Psychology course, and readings about immigration for fourth and fifth grade classes.
According to Diaz, there have also been shifts at military colleges and universities – approximately 380 books were removed from the U.S. Naval Academy’s library in April. Officials have also been told to assess books related to diversity, equity and inclusion at Army and Air Force libraries, Diaz said.
KCRA reported a spokesperson with the Defense Department’s school system said the institution does not comment on the ongoing litigation.
