By AlaskaWatchman.com

The ACLU of Alaska has teamed up with another hard leftist organization, Northern Justice Project, in suing the Mat-Su School District because it is considering whether to officially remove several highly sexualized books from school libraries.

A statement from the ACLU claims the Mat-Su District has removed 56 books from school libraries. In fact, the district is currently reviewing a group of 56 books that have been challenged as unsuitable for minors due to controversial sexualized content. So far, the district’s library review committee has recommended that four books be removed from some or all school libraries. The remaining 52 books have yet to be reviewed, and the school board has not even voted on whether to accept the library book review committee’s recommendation on the first four books.

Nevertheless, the ACLU’s federal lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court on behalf of eight plaintiffs, including six MSBSD parents on behalf of their minor children and two MSBSD students over the age of 18 who claim that the book removal violated their First and Fourteenth Amendment rights under the United States Constitution to free speech, press, and political expression.

Plaintiffs’ attorneys are asking the court to block all attempts to remove or restrict any of the 56 challenged books, claiming that the controversial titles help students “gain a deeper understanding of themselves and their world.”

A press release from the ACLU attempts to make it appear that the book challenges are about race issues, but most of the challenged books deal with graphic sex scenes and the promotion of LGBTQ sexual practices.

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ACLU sues Mat-Su School District for ‘removal’ of sexualized library books

Joel Davidson
Joel is Editor-in-Chief of the Alaska Watchman. Joel is an award winning journalist and has been reporting for over 24 years, He is a proud father of 8 children, and lives in Palmer, Alaska.


62 Comments

  • Gapper says:

    parents and students can purchase any book they want online if they can’t find it in a library so no rights are being violated.

    • Chuck Anziulewicz says:

      Why have libraries to begin with, if people can just purchase what they want from Amazon? Then people can just buy books about slavery, evolution, the civil rights movement, plus tons of fiction you don’t want people reading.

      • Tamra Nygaard says:

        You really do project a bit there, Chuck. Nobody is prevented from learning about slavery, about evolution, about the civil right movement, or general fiction. Frankly, nobody is prevented from looking at porn or smut, but providing porn and smut to kids is illegal. And yet here you are trying to say the commenters here are racists and anti-science, which is a sad trope of the left. Tell me, Chuck, what’s your position on global warming these days? Still beating that tired drum? Or does 7 below zero kinda put the kibosh on that crap?

  • Neil DeWitt says:

    The ACLU, need to understand the people of the Mat-Valley asked for an independent advisor committee and voted fir them. They have a legal right to fo the job the Valley residents ask for. The ACLU should also know and understand this shut is against the Alaska state Constitution and should of never been put in the library in the first place. I ask the ACLU, how many people does Alaska have in prison for child porn? I feel all these teachers, librarians, school board members and Mat Valley Bourgh members that think this is ok need to be imprisoned along with all those child porn people in prison.

  • Sir Comrade says:

    Sore losers those aclu stooges! Their effort to insert shib & dweedle in local government failed, so start plan B with more lies to promote perversion and smut in libraries.

  • John J Otness says:

    I remember when the ACLU stood for good or so we all back then thought.

  • Akdale says:

    is there a link to the public info listing the names of the plaintiffs who seem to approve of child grooming and porn in our school libraries. ADN list one name, Dawn Adams.

    • Mom of Liberty says:

      Is this the same Dawn Adams that works for OCS? Someone should investigate her willingness to encourage school district employees to facilitate the commission of a class C felony by insisting these materials be made available to persons under the age of 16. How does someone who literally works in a position that supposedly protects children participate in a lawsuit that will endanger them? Has this woman even taken a look at what’s in Let’s Talk About It? Why does the ACLU want to expose elementary children to images of penetration? Some of these children could be victims of abuse, and have no idea what they are even opening up but be drawn to the books because some of them look picture books. What we are asking for is to use common sense and to have some responsible adults in the room making these decisions. This woman from OCS (if in fact it is the same one) and the others pushing this lawsuit only further muddies this situation. What in the world is driving these people to come after all of our kids? Parents need to be VERY concerned. If the ACLU thinks this lawsuit is going to scare parents away and get the rest us to back down with this ridiculous lawsuit against the school district, they need to think again. Parents are only going to pay more attention to these efforts. Gone are the days when parents can sit back and let the teachers teach. This lawsuit proves that. Message received, loud and clear.

      • Friend of Humanity says:

        It would be interesting to find out how many OCS and tribal employees that work with children vote demoncratic and are left-leaning!

      • Marlene says:

        I certainly will pray for those who are working to protect the children from this porn/smut.

      • SA says:

        Mom of Liberty: The book you reference, “Let’s Talk About It,” was not in the Mat-Su school library system, so it was not one of the books that was removed from circulation by the school district. In fact, the book is not in any school library catalog anywhere in the entire state of Alaska. But this book is commonly used to generate outrage, and henc blogs like The Watchman often use it to imply that books like this are in our public school libraries.

    • Mom of Liberty says:

      SA: Clearly, it needs to be proactively kept out of the library before people like you would try to put it in there. Dawn Adams and the other parents in this lawsuit don’t feel like the current books in the library are smutty enough for their children. So, since we aren’t screaming loud enough for the people in the back who want to promote showing children graphic images of penetration, we definitely want to make it clear that we want the school district to follow federal and state law when it comes to this subject.

  • DaveMaxwell says:

    This shot off the bow will result in dunleavy and Taylor to go hide in their irrelevant shadows! SCARED!!!

  • AK Fish says:

    I just laugh at the ACLU’s latest commercials on TV asking for money for their “We Show Up: Coming Together to Fight For Civil Rights and Liberties” campaign. What about the rights of the parents to actually parent their children without fear of local/state/federal government indoctrination or interference that conflicts with their family values?

  • Tamra Nygaard says:

    I can’t wait for the ACLU to explain how giving porn to minors is some sort of Constitutional right. I expect the defense lawyers will simply have to present the Laws of the State of Alaska and then start reading and showing the pictures from one of the smut offerings. Can’t be that hard to defend against this egregious lawsuit.

    • Steve P Peterson says:

      I hate to say it, be we should never underestimate the leftism of the courts. We have several generations of law school graduates who have been groomed to be just like their atheistic/communist teachers. If the courts can ignore the lawlessness of BLM and Antifa while imprisoning people who simply walked through the Capitol, it is clearly to see that people with conservative values will not get a fair shake. We have lost our justice system to communists.

      • Lucinda says:

        Six of the nine Supreme Court justices are flaming back sliding conservatives. Where is this leftism you mention?

    • DaveMaxwell says:

      You will soon be incredulous at your spineless governor and team! “ can’t be that hard to defend against this egregious lawsuit “ It’s not the difficulty that will cause the dunleavy useless defenders to cower and run, it’s a matter of courage and willpower which they have neither!

  • First A. Lawyer says:

    Why not tell the truth to your followers. The books were removed from the shelves without due process. This is a 1st Amendment violation. How would you feel if your 2nd Amendment rights were violated? It’s the same thing. And no, these books are not pornographic or inappropriate. You should put down your bible and read some of the books. By the way, the bible includes sexual content and is on library shelves. Should we remove those?

    • Fire says:

      shut up Kendall, you sicko.

    • Common Sense says:

      Have you looked at some of these books and evaluated them based on statute? The first amendment does not give anyone the right to distribute obscene or pornographic material to children in a library, and neither does Alaska statute. Try again.

    • Sickoflibs says:

      The books weren’t removed; they were relocated. Nice try, groomer.

    • Tamra Nygaard says:

      All of those books are freely available in other parts of the libraries, except the school libraries. I expect there a lots of books that are not in the school libraries, since it would be impossible for them all to be there. Nobody has lost any rights of any kind, except the non-right of adults to provide porn to children, which is illegal. Try again, and this time don’t tell lies.

      • First A Lawyer says:

        It doesn’t matter where else they are available. The reason they are removing them is a 1A issue.

    • Friend of Humanity says:

      Why not quit pushing the lefty narrative First? People really do know the truth or are soon going to learn the truth.

      • Lucinda says:

        Looks like Lawyer pushed all y’all’s buttons.

      • First A Lawyer says:

        Its’s not a Lefty or Righty issue. It’s a 1A issue. How’d you like it if the MSB Assembly told everyone they could not own an AR-15?

      • Friend of Humanity says:

        You are correct First A Lawyer – this is not a lefty or righty issue. This is a demonic push to destroy our Heavenly Father’s creations and his intention for this earth. Deep down, this is nothing to do with “laws” or “rights” – you know it and I know it. The serpent thinks he can prove to his Creator that the serpent can turn man and woman away from our Heavenly Father. It is not working. People are waking up and seeing this battle of good versus evil and will stand to protect the children’s innocence.

    • SA says:

      First–You are correct that none of the books that were removed from circulation are pornographic as is being falsely claimed by this blog and MRAK. Additionally, both this site and MRAK use an illustration of the book, “Let’s Talk About It” which is not one of the books that was removed from circulation from the Mat-Su schools. Why not, you might ask? Because it was never on the shelves in Mat-Su school libraries to begin with. In fact, the book is not listed in any school library catalog anywhere in Alaska. But sites like this one and MRAK keep bringing it up to gin up outrage.

      • Friend of Humanity says:

        I am not outraged, but have great concern for the children. God Almighty’s children are not yours to twist with your perverted beliefs. Again, Our Loving Heavenly Father’s Children are not yours to twist with your perverted beliefs. He who created all creation wins in the end. As I always tell Lucinda, Our Heavenly Father wants everyone to live – it is never too late for you to call out to Our Heavenly Father and repent and ask for forgiveness of your sins.

    • Elizabeth Henry says:

      The books are ‘under review’ not ‘removed’. Funneling pornography to children really is not a first amendment right. Wondering if you have children and if Penthouse or Playboy sit in stacks on the coffee table foe their enjoyment? A ten year year old does no6 need instruction on how to perform a blowjob. Sorry. Share your sickness elsewhere. My tax dollars do not need to find 5hat kind of info for kids.

      • Guy Montag says:

        These 56 books were removed from Mat-Su school libraries in April 2023, to be “reviewed.” The 12 books that have now been reviewed are still not on library shelves, and the school board has not taken up the issue all semester long. None of these books are pornographic, and many of them are well established classics that have been in libraries for decades. Just because they might exist elsewhere does not mean they are accessible to kids in the Mat-Su school district. No tax dollars have been spent on pornography.

      • SA says:

        Elizabeth–Mat-Su school board minutes, videos of the meetings, and reliable newspaper articles report that the 56 books WERE REMOVED from shelves. On September 13, 2023, Alaska Public Media wrote: “Previously, the district kept books in circulation until a final decision was made, but this spring the 56 challenged books were pulled from shelves.” https://alaskapublic.org/2023/09/13/new-mat-su-citizens-library-committee-to-review-dozens-of-challenged-books/
        As to your claim that there were books in the Mat-Su school libraries that gave “instruction on how to perform a blowjob…” It’s a false claim. There are not, nor has there ever been, a book with that information in a Mat-Su school library. You’re just falling for false information.

  • Trom says:

    The Mayor’s of our communities need to step up and take action just like the Mayor of Hudson Ohio did regarding the books. https://youtu.be/kfldT9y3oQY?si=sJgMVw_rJCZrjdhD

    • First A Lawyer says:

      We don’t even have those types of mayors here. Shows how much you actually know how government works.

  • Fire says:

    shut up Kendall, you sicko.

  • SA says:

    The court filing can be viewed here:
    You can also view the list of the 56 books that were removed from circulation by clicking on the link in the court documents. There you can see for yourself that the book in the illustration at the top of the blog and on the Facebook link does not appear because it was not on the shelves to begin with in the Mat-Su school library. It’s just being used as a dog whistle to manufacture outrage.

  • Elizabeth Henry says:

    You can sue anyone for almost anything. The laws already on the books to protect minors from pornographic material need to be enforced and if they were, would take care of much of the problem. There is nothing wrong with reviewing books for appropriateness and adherence to existing laws. Shelving books according to age appropriateness is not banning books.

  • MS says:

    Does anyone, save a couple of rational people, bother to read beyond the pot stirring headlines and obviously unresearched, unverified blog posts? The lawsuit clearly states: “On April 21, 2023, the School Board ordered the Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District to remove 56 books from all of its school libraries because the books contained ideas or concepts that either the Board or some members of the public did not like. The District carried out this removal of books.” That means the books are not on the shelves, are not accessible, are not circulating in the libraries. That’s the definition of being removed. After reading the lawsuit for myself it seems this is an issue of removing the books without working through procedures first. Wonder what would have happened if concerned parents had just followed the District’s policy for challenging books instead of blindly following the Drama Mob’s sanctimonious shock and awe histrionics. Wait, I know! We could’ve had some or all of the books reviewed without the theatrics, politics, community division, and now expensive tax payer cost of a lawsuit.

    • Tamra Nygaard says:

      All of the books are freely available at the discretion of parents, who are free to give them to their own kids if they like. They are not freely given by the government, which is a different issue entirely. “Did not like” in this case means giving kids porn. Not ever library has to carry every book ever written; nowhere in the 1A does it state that all materials must be freely provided by the government. Arguing this under the first amendment is weak sauce indeed.

    • Marlene says:

      Amazing how so many people are fighting to have these books on the shelves. Much like child sex traffickers who fight to have access to children. Seems so many have no scruples about protecting children from pictures of sexual activities. Maybe they want children to be ready for any sexual assault. And, First A Lawyer brings up a person complaining about the books not giving their names but how gutless he or she as they don’t give their name.

  • Mom of Liberty says:

    It sounds like you don’t understand why there are lawsuits in the first place.

    The lawsuit is based on one party’s allegations the books have been removed. The allegations do NOT mean it is a fact that the books were removed. The whole reason why it goes to court is to settle the dispute before a judge. MSBSD is going to argue or defend the allegations.

    If both sides agreed, there wouldn’t be a need for a lawsuit.

    What you did is give your opinion, just like everyone else. What the court will do is the same thing, but it will be based on evidence brought by both sides and based on case law.

    • SA says:

      Mom–The lawsuit was brought on behalf of SIX students, not on one party, as you claim. Also, the lawsuit is not about whether or not the books were removed. The lawsuit claims that the students’ first and fourteenth amendment rights were violated because of the removal of the books from circulation. Whether or not the books were removed is not in question. The books were removed from circulation on April 21, 2023.

  • Johnny says:

    This isn’t about free speech and a violation of rights, this is about abusing the system by establishing a platform by men who enjoy penetrating another mans anus to perpetuate a sick, perverse lifestyle, and to push it up on children. S.I.C.K.

    • DaveMaxwell says:

      Add to Johnnys thoughts, this perversion is directed at our children using our money! I voted for dunleavy to specifically protect these kids from this disturbing garbage! He doesn’t care to fulfill his responsibility which leaves us to squabble on platforms like this!
      What a godless mess we are in that I attribute to our gutless godless leaders!

    • Lucinda says:

      Johnny, How about now, are you still thinking about gay sex?

  • Judy Eledge says:

    Interesting g that liberal district scream “local control” when pushing their agendas. Actually state law gives local districts much authority! Perhaps they have not seen AG Treg Taylor’s recent letter about possible violation of both state and local laws pertaining to protection of minors. There is a federal one also!

    • DaveMaxwell says:

      Judy please use better logic! The law has been broken! Logically prosecution should follow! Not reminders!

  • Citizenkane says:

    Just to be clear, the first amendment applies only to Congress, “ The Congress Shall make no law”. It is a restriction on the Congress and the courts they create. Very very plain, clear and simple. Read it and think. Words have meaning.

  • Me says:

    Honestly people from Mat-Su should just go live in Florida and then we’ll all be happy.

    • Friend of Humanity says:

      What? And leave the demonrats alone here in Alaska? No way! I am pretty sure that the demonrats would be happier in nice, warm California or blitzy New York or Chicago where apparently anything goes.

    • DaveMaxwell says:

      Nope , staying with my conceal and carry! Now you know!

  • Bob says:

    laws are laws.