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The Tennessee Conservative [By Olivia Lupia] –
Nearly a month after the Rutherford County Library Board voted to remove material promoting, encouraging, or advocating for transgenderism or that creates confusion about gender for minors, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has filed suit against the Rutherford County Board of Education for their own recent decision to remove or restrict access to over 145 titles in school libraries across the county in compliance with the Age Appropriate Materials Act .
Filing on behalf of three families from Rutherford County and PEN America, and organization which claims to, “protect free expression in the United States and worldwide”, the ACLU alleges that recommendations from a website linked to conservative group Moms for Liberty lead the board to pull the books in question without reading them and that the removals themselves constitute a violation of the First Amendment, per Fox 17.
A press release from PEN America reads in part, “PEN America, a national writers and free expression organization, joined the lawsuit on behalf of its author members, 32 of whom have had a total of 53 books banned or restricted by the Rutherford County school board. PEN America is fighting for the rights of our author members who are under heightened pressure from forces trying to throttle literary voices they don’t like. Banning these writers’ books is unlawful and denies students the rich education they have the right to. If this censorship is allowed to stand, generations to come will be robbed of both the joy of reading great stories and the information they need to become engaged citizens of a diverse, dynamic, and pluralistic democracy. The plaintiffs are asking the court to block Rutherford County from continuing to ban books from school libraries, and to reinstate many of the materials that have already been banned or restricted.”
According to 10News, the lawsuit states the board’s definition of obscenity is too broad, allowing materials to be removed for “appealing to the prurient interest” or simply being “patently offensive”. The suit also maintains the board’s policies do not specifically require Rutherford County Schools to consider if materials have literary, artistic, political, or scientific value.
It argues that Rutherford County Schools removed books in a “narrowly partisan or political manner, or because Defendants disagree with the ideas or views contained in those books,” claiming a violation of the First Amendment’s protection to access information and ideas.
The ACLU of Kentucky and Virginia are also reportedly suing the Department of Defense Education Activity over book removals which they claim violate the First Amendment. This suit includes four children attending an elementary school on Fort Campbell and eight other students at international military installation schools.
Olivia Lupia is a political refugee from Colorado who now calls Tennessee home. A proud follower of Christ, she views all political happenings through a Biblical lens and aims to utilize her knowledge and experience to educate and equip others. Olivia is an outspoken conservative who has run for local office, managed campaigns, and been highly involved with state & local GOPs, state legislatures, and other grassroots organizations and movements. Olivia can be reached at olivia@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
One Response
ACLU, in lucifer’s service.