Ohio Man Burns 100 Public Library Books on Jewish, African American, LGBTQIA+ Education: Report | 19 News
The Beachwood (OH) Police Department reported a man checked out 100 books from the Cuyahoga County Public Library Beachwood Branch and posted a video of him burning the books on social media.

Pentagon Orders Military to Pull Books Related to DEI and ‘Gender Ideology’ | The Guardian
Military leaders and commanders at the Pentagon were ordered to go through their libraries and review all books that were related to diversity, equity, and inclusion, in the U.S. military’s latest anti-DEI move. Leaders were ordered to “promptly identify” materials that promote “divisive concepts and gender ideology [that] are incompatible with the department’s core mission,” according to a memo sent to leaders that was seen by the Associated Press. The department gave leaders until May 21 to remove the books.

ACLU Seeks Injunction to Block Book Bans in Military Schools | Royal Examiner
The American Civil Liberties Union asked a federal judge in Virginia to immediately halt what it calls a sweeping campaign of classroom censorship in military-run schools stemming from executive orders issued earlier this year. The motion for preliminary injunction, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, follows a lawsuit brought last month on behalf of 12 students enrolled in Department of Defense Education Activity schools.

ACLU Says S.C. Leads the Nation in Book Bans | ABC 25
According to a report by the American Civil Liberties Union, South Carolina leads the nation in book bans. This comes after the South Carolina Board of Education voted to remove 10 books from all public schools for all grade levels. The ACLU says all 10 books that were banned were challenged by one parent who previously tried to ban the books in Beaufort County schools.

Educators and Activists Protest Book Bans in North Carolina District | WHQR
Educators and activists held a rally to protest book bannings in New Hanover County (NC) schools. The event was organized by New Hanover County Educational Justice and several other groups. It took place right before the county school board’s regular meeting and called on teachers, parents, and students to speak up against book bans. The banned book in question is Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You by Jason Reynolds, based on the work of Ibram X. Kendi. The book for young adults addresses the history of racism in America.

Florida Department of Education Claims ‘Pornographic’ Books Remain in Hillsborough County High School Libraries | News8
The Florida Department of Education sent a letter to Hillsborough County (FL) Schools’ superintendent Van Ayres, claiming the district has not removed “pornographic and inappropriate books” from some high school libraries. In the letter signed by Florida Commissioner of Education Manny Díaz Jr., Díaz wrote that Call Me by Your Name by André Aciman and Jack of Hearts (And Other Parts) by Lev A. C. Rosen had been found in the district’s public database. Díaz said Call Me by Your Name was found in three high school libraries. Jack of Hearts (And Other Parts) was available in two high schools, the commissioner said.

Utah Bans 18th Book from Public Schools | KPCW
The Utah State Board of Education has banned another book from public school libraries statewide. This month, Sara Gruen’s bestselling 2006 novel Water for Elephants met the threshold and was added to the list. That brings the number of banned books to 18 since 2024. Sixteen of the books banned so far were written by women. In Utah, books or other content can be banned if at least three districts deem it inappropriate.

Margaret Atwood Tells Authors to Be Brave While ‘Under Threat’ After Award Win | The Herald
The 85-year-old author was presented with the award for advocating for “reading as an act of resistance.” In a video acceptance speech, the Canadian said: “I cannot remember a time during my own life, when words themselves felt under such threat. Political and religious polarisation, which appeared to be on the wane for parts of the 20th century, has increased alarmingly in the past decade. The world feels to me more like the 1930s and 40s at present than it has in the intervening 80 years."