A legal action launched by a group of students from Pentagon-run schools has shaken the foundations of academic censorship.
Twelve kids attending institutions in the United States, Italy, and Japan, have filed a lawsuit against Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, accusing him of violating their constitutional rights by removing books addressing issues of race and gender.
The legal action, supported by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), a nonprofit organization dedicated to defending and promoting civil rights, argues that executive orders issued by the Trump administration, aimed at eliminating diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, have negatively impacted teenagers’ access to culture and information.
According to ACLU attorneys, the removal of books dealing with crucial topics such as health, hygiene, and biology has prevented students from accessing essential content for their educational development. The lawsuit also involves Beth Schiavino-Narvaez, head of the Pentagon’s school system, who is accused of altering curricula, including the cancellation of Women’s History Month and Black History Month.
The legal battle centers on a federally funded educational network that serves around 67,000 children of military personnel. Although administered by the Pentagon, these schools are bound by the same constitutional rights as any other U.S. public institution. Despite the attempt to eliminate what are considered controversial contents, including works by authors such as Maya Angelou and legal scholar Randall Kennedy, some arguably more problematic texts, such as Adolf Hitler’s Mein Kampf, have been left on library shelves.
The lawsuit was filed during a week marked by an expansion of censorship measures, which also reached the U.S. Naval Academy, where around 400 volumes were removed. Many of the targeted books addressed race, LGBTQ+ rights, and gender identity. The initiative has sparked controversy among the affected authors. Juan Williams and Randall Kennedy have strongly criticized the removal of their work, describing the actions of Republican leadership as an “assault on civil liberties.”
The controversy goes beyond the defense of individual rights, raising broader questions about political influence in education and the freedom to access information. Emerson Sykes, senior ACLU attorney, emphasized a core issue, stating that students should have the right to learn and to access information that ought to remain above political disputes.
