Knox County Board Challenges Tennessee Book Ban Law After ‘Roots’ Removal
Knox County school board votes to challenge Tennessee’s book ban law after committee removed Pulitzer Prize-winning ‘Roots’ from libraries.
KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE — The Knox County Board of Education voted 5-4 Thursday night to formally ask the Tennessee General Assembly to revise the state’s book ban law after the controversial removal and restoration of Alex Haley’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel “Roots” from school libraries.
Board members Anne Templeton, Katherine Bike, John Butler, Patricia Fontenot-Ridley, and Kristi Kristy voted in favor of the resolution, while Lauren Morgan, Betsy Henderson, Steve Triplett, and Travis Wright opposed it.
The vote followed Knox County Schools Superintendent Jon Rysewyk’s reversal of a committee’s decision to ban “Roots” on May 26, returning the 1976 novel to shelves at seven Knox County Schools high schools. A school board committee had previously voted to remove the book after reviewing a single passage depicting sexual violence during slavery.
State Law Forces Difficult Decisions
Tennessee’s Age-Appropriate Materials Act, signed by Governor Bill Lee in 2022 and strengthened by a 2024 amendment, requires the removal of any K-12 library book containing nudity, sexual content, excessive violence or sadomasochistic abuse. The law contains no exceptions for literary merit, author intent or historical significance.
The committee banned “Roots” after reading a passage depicting the rape of the enslaved woman Kizzy by her enslaver. Rape during American slavery was documented by historians as a systemic tool of racial and sexual terror.
The resolution prepared by Templeton passed after heated public debate that highlighted concerns about the broader impact of the state law on Tennessee students’ access to library materials.
Tennessee Ranks High in Book Restrictions
Tennessee ranks among the top three states nationally for book bans, with more than 1,600 books restricted or removed statewide since the law’s implementation. The Age-Appropriate Materials Act draws its terms directly from the state’s Criminal Offenses Code.
The Knox County resolution challenges state lawmakers, asking them to reconsider legislation that school officials say has reshaped what Tennessee students can access in their school libraries. The committee’s initial decision to ban “Roots” demonstrated how the law’s strict requirements can affect even acclaimed literary works that address difficult historical topics.
The superintendent’s decision to restore the book highlighted the ongoing tension between local school leadership and state-mandated restrictions on educational materials. The board’s narrow vote to challenge the law reflects deep divisions within the district about how to balance state compliance with educational access.
