This blog post is by Amelia N. Aldred, Deputy Director, State and Local Advocacy at the American Library Association
School Administrators Consider Anti-LGBTQ Parent Complaint, Not District Policy in Recent Removal
In October 2025, Kathleen Gros’ Jo: An Adaptation of Little Women (Sort Of) was quietly removed from library shelves by the Benton School District in Central Arkansas, following a parental complaint about its inclusion of LGBTQ+ characters. E.L. Konigsburg’s classic From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler was also pulled from the shelves during the same school year. In both cases, the library books were removed without adherence to the district’s own policy or state law.
National Coalition Against Censorship Organizes to Protect Students’ First Amendment Rights
After connecting with local advocates and organizations in Arkansas to gather information, the National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC) issued an open letter to the school board, urging the district to rectify its misapplications of the law, commit to following district policy, and return the books to library shelves. NCAC’s letter warned members of the board that removing library books with the intent to deny students access to ideas with which the district does not agree exposes the district to constitutional liability.
A Broad Alliance Lends Support
Like the majority of censorship attempts in the U.S., the Benton School District book challenges are a matter of local concern as well as part of a national trend. The situation highlights the power of connecting grassroots activists to national organizations with the resources to offer support. NCAC’s letter defending the freedom to read in Benton drew support from a wide range of organizations, in Arkansas and around the country. Signatories to the letter include:
- American Booksellers for Free Expression*
- American Library Association*
- Arkansas Authors Against Book Bans
- Arkansas Library Association
- Arkansas Right to Read Project
- The Authors Guild Children’s and Young Adult Books Committee*
- PEN America*
- EveryLibrary
- Freedom to Read Project
- Indivisible Little Rock & Central Arkansas
- National Council of Teachers of English*
- PFLAG National*
- Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators*
An Example to Inspire Ongoing Advocacy
A strong, well researched, and accurately cited letter of support like the one provided by NCAC—which can be viewed in full here — can be a powerful defense against book removals, especially if they’ve taken place driven by personal bias and in misalignment with policy and the law.
By coming together in support of students’ rights, librarians, teachers, parents, community members, authors, illustrators, and civil liberties organizations can shine a light on similar threats to the right to read and alert communities to the risk and harm posed by censorship attempts.
For more tips on grassroots organizing, check out the Unite Against book Bans free toolkit and resources from Unite partners.
*Unite Against Book Bans coalition partner
