Wisconsin School District Concedes
in ACLU Book-Removal Suit
Barron (Wis.) Area School District officials settled an eight-month-old federal lawsuit October 8 by agreeing not to remove or restrict four gay-themed books from the high-school library based on their content. Filed February 16 by the American Civil Liberties Union of Wisconsin on behalf of six students and three parents, the suit challenged the board’s December 21 withdrawal of Baby Be-Bop and its decision to find less explicit replacements for The Drowning of Stephan Jones, When Someone You Know Is Gay, andTwo Teenagers in Twenty.
“This settlement restores not only the books to the library shelves, but also the district’s credibility and good name,” ACLU of Wisconsin Executive Director Chris Ahmuty remarked.
Since parent Karen Williams challenged the books in April 1998, the board has revisited restricting and/or removing the titles on several occasions.
Posted October 11, 1999.
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