Twelve students in Pentagon schools are suing defense secretary Pete Hegseth over book bans on race and gender, claiming their first amendment rights are being violated. The ACLU filed the lawsuit, arguing that the censorship is preventing children from learning important information about health, biology, and abuse, and is part of Trump’s war on diversity, equity, and inclusion.
The lawsuit targets Hegseth and the head of the Pentagon school system, Beth Schiavino-Narvaez, for violating students’ first amendment rights by removing library books and making curriculum changes. The legal action calls for the immediate reinstatement of removed books and curricula to school library shelves and classrooms, and reveals that children’s yearbook entries are being scrubbed for gender-related content.
The banned books at the Naval Academy include titles on gay rights, gender identity, and race relations in America, with authors like Juan Williams and Randall Kennedy having their works removed. Pulitzer-prize winning author Geraldine Brooks also had her book banned, with the censorship targeting books with underlying themes related to slavery and transgender activism.
