The Biden administration has hired a new czar to monitor efforts to remove certain books from school libraries across the country as officials continue to face backlash for instances in which sexually explicit and controversial LGBTQ+ books have been present, according to Politico.
Former Obama administration official and non-profit leader Matt Nosanchuk began work in the role this week as deputy assistant secretary in the Office for Civil Rights, and will lead training sessions for schools and libraries on book bans. Nosanchuk’s past work has focused heavily on the LGBTQ community.
“Across the country, communities are seeing a rise in efforts to ban books — efforts that are often designed to empty libraries and classrooms of literature about LGBTQ people, people of color, people of faith, key historical events and more,” an Education Department official said in a Thursday email to reporters. “These efforts are a threat to student’s rights and freedoms.”
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The U.S. Department of Education building in Washington, D.C. (STEFANI REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images)
The first session will be held via webinar for up to 1,000 attendees on Sep. 26.
According to the American Library Association, which will be hosting the session, attendees will learn how the Education Department enforces federal civil rights laws, including how the law applies to libraries, how “book bans” might violate civil rights laws, and how to submit complaints about potential violations.
Nosanchuk’s appointment comes just days after a contentious Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on so-called “book bans” that went viral after Sen. John Kennedy, R.-La., grilled a college activist over whether parents should have a say in what books are available in public libraries.
Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., listens during a Senate hearing in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday, Sept. 13, 2022. (Eric Lee/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
One of the books Kennedy read from during the hearing, “All Boys Aren’t Blue” by George M. Johnson, has been banned in at least 29 local school districts and includes a graphic description of anal sex and other activities.
It was just the latest example of some of the controversial books being brought to light as concerned parents have been clashing with school districts over the last two years over their rights to be involved, and opt their kids out of certain curricula deemed inappropriate.
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The Education Department and White House have not responded to Fox News Digital.
Fox News’ Jamie Joseph contributed to this report.
