Story perspectives

Cobb County Schools Pull Toni Morrison’s “Bluest Eye”

By Drooid · Sep 21, 2026, 11:22 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

Cobb County School District removed Toni Morrison’s novel “The Bluest Eye” from its media centers on September 17, 2026.
The district said the book violates grades-six-through-twelve standards because of graphic child incest and rape depictions.
Superintendent Chris Ragsdale said he could not leave the decision to parents, citing his role as a sixth-grader’s father.
Board Chairman Randy Scamihorn clarified the district is not banning books and parents may buy the novel elsewhere.
The National Women’s Law Center filed complaints alleging the district’s book removals marginalize students.

History

Historical Context

The Island Trees Union Free School District, founded in 1902, faced a 5-4 Supreme Court ruling in 1982 (Island Trees v. Pico) that schools may not ban books solely for objectionable content, establishing a limited First-Amendment right to receive information. Decades later, Cobb County, Georgia removed Toni Morrison’s *The Bluest Eye* in September 2026, echoing the Pico dispute and prompting new legal challenges.

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Story summary

Cobb County School District removed Toni Morrison’s novel “The Bluest Eye” from its media centers on September 17, 2026.
The district said the book violates grades-six-through-twelve standards because of graphic child incest and rape depictions.
Superintendent Chris Ragsdale said he could not leave the decision to parents, citing his role as a sixth-grader’s father.
Board Chairman Randy Scamihorn clarified the district is not banning books and parents may buy the novel elsewhere.
The National Women’s Law Center filed complaints alleging the district’s book removals marginalize students.

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