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The school board must now make books with themes and images of violence, graphic sex, and suicidal ideation widely available to young teens against the wishes of many parents, but an appeal is already being planned.
A U.S. District Court judge has mandated that Colorado’s Elizabeth School District reinstate 19 previously removed books to its library shelves.
The controversy began in August 2024 when the Elizabeth School Board voted to remove certain books from school libraries. Board officials cited concerns over the content they deemed inappropriate, including graphic violence, racism, and discrimination, ideations of self-harm or mental illness, and sexual content.
These books were temporarily suspended and displayed at the board’s office for parental review and feedback regarding their potential return to the libraries.
By September 9, 2024, the board had permanently removed all temporarily suspended books from the district’s libraries. The lawsuit contends that this action was taken because the books contained same-sex relationships, featured LGBTQ+ characters, discussed racism, involved police violence, or were otherwise deemed “disgusting” by board members.
The plaintiffs further argued that this move infringes upon students’ First Amendment rights by denying access to diverse ideas and perspectives.
Last week, U.S. District Judge Charlotte Sweeney issued a temporary injunction and ordered the Elizabeth School District to “immediately return the books to the library shelves.” Judge Sweeney emphasized that “the students’ interest in accessing books in their respective school libraries is constitutionally protected” by the First Amendment.
She later wrote,
“Plaintiffs have shown that the District removed the 19 books based on the authors’ and books’ content and viewpoints on issues such as race, sexual orientation, gender identity, LGBTQ content, and to promote the Board’s self-proclaimed ‘conservative values.’”
In response to the ruling, Elizabeth School District Superintendent Dan Snowberger expressed disappointment, stating,
“We are still reviewing the decision with our attorneys. We respect the Judge’s order, but we are particularly disappointed with the decision to avoid a hearing so the District could explain the Board’s decision and the careful and transparent process it followed before removing the books. We will be appealing the decision, and the district stands by the board’s decision to remove sexually explicit and age-inappropriate content from our school libraries.”
The lawsuit was brought against the school district in December 2024 by two parents, the Author’s Guild, and the NAACP of Colorado, Montana, and Wyoming.
The list of books includes the following:
This case underscores the ongoing national debate over book challenges and the balance between community standards, parental rights, and First Amendment rights in educational settings.
The Elizabeth School District’s decision to appeal the ruling suggests that this legal battle may continue, potentially setting precedents for how schools across the country handle including diverse and possibly controversial materials in their libraries.
The debate is hardly limited to Colorado. In 2023, the Standing for Freedom Center reported that Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker had signed a law that revokes grant funding from libraries that remove certain books. House Bill 2789 asserts that the state should “encourage and protect the freedom of libraries and library systems to acquire materials without external limitation and to be protected against attempts to ban, remove, or otherwise restrict access to books or other materials.”
The Illinois State Librarian and the Illinois State Library staff are required to “adopt the American Library Association’s (ALA) Library Bill of Rights that indicates materials should not be proscribed or removed because of partisan or doctrinal disapproval” and “prohibit the practice of banning specific books or resources.”
In September 2023, Louisiana Sen. John Kennedy, R, read the two books Gender Queer and All Boys Aren’t Blue during a hearing called “Book Bans: How Censorship Limits Liberty and Literature.” The books contain highly explicit and graphic descriptions of minors involved in various same-sex acts.
During the hearing, the American Library Association (ALA) and PEN America criticized what they call “book bans,” arguing that parents advocating for the removal of sexually explicit materials from school libraries are engaging in censorship. PEN America identified the two previously mentioned books as the most frequently challenged titles during the 2021-2022 school year.
Kennedy read passages from the books and questioned Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias, who also serves as the state librarian, about the justification for keeping such content in school libraries.
“You come here and say censorship is bad, and of course it’s bad,” Kennedy said. “But the obvious response is — you heard the books we’re talking about. We’re not talking about Catcher in the Rye. So tell me, who gets to decide? And all I’ve heard is the librarians. And parents have nothing to do with it. And if that’s your response, what planet did you just parachute in from?”
The ongoing battle over which books are appropriate in school libraries continues to spur controversy and policy prescriptions, but the bottom line is this: Who should have the ultimate say in deciding what difficult or controversial topics are appropriate for children: The state or parents?
The recent ruling regarding the Elizabeth School District raises significant concerns about why some politicians and courts believe that promoting materials filled with graphic violence, pornography and graphic sexual photos, and suicidal ideation to middle schoolers and other teens is a “conservative issue.”
Such thinking goes against decades of psychological and sociological understanding about how such premature exposure impacts child development, mental health, and the ability to form healthy relationships. At one time, society fully understood this and took steps to carefully shield children from being exposed to such material — not immerse them in it and assume that they’ll somehow cope with issues and topics that many adults can’t even handle.
Scripture teaches that parents and communities are responsible for guarding young people’s hearts and minds, as Proverbs 22:6 instructs:
“Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.”
The Bible also emphasizes the importance of purity and wisdom, encouraging believers to focus on what is good and edifying (Philippians 4:8).
Schools should be safe environments nurturing children with wholesome content that aligns with moral values. While diverse perspectives are valuable, it is crucial to protect students from books containing explicit sexual content, graphic violence, or materials that promote confusion rather than clarity.
Parents have the God-given right and responsibility to be involved in and oversee their children’s education and to raise concerns when material conflicts with their faith and moral beliefs.
This situation highlights the tension between free speech and the responsibility to protect young minds. As Jesus warned in Matthew 18:6, “If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.”
Safeguarding children from harmful influences is not censorship but an act of love and stewardship. As Christians, we should engage this issue with both truth and grace, boldly advocating for parental rights and the moral upbringing and long-term protection of children.
Many K-12 schools now embrace the secular woke agenda and are hostile to Christian beliefs and parental rights. Fortunately, parents don’t have to settle for this. Liberty University Online Academy is a K-12 program designed to educate your children in the ways of the Lord while preparing them to stand firm in their faith when they graduate. Our flexible online curriculum ensures that your student is trained at your convenience and keeps YOU the ultimate educator of your children.
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