Knox County Schools remove Roots

Knox County Schools has removed Alex Haley’s “Roots” from school libraries after a complaint filed under Tennessee’s Age-Appropriate Materials Act, according to local reports and district officials cited by Knoxville-area media. The move put one of the best-known books tied to Tennessee history at the center of a local dispute over how schools apply the state’s book-review law. (wate.com) The challenge focused on Chapter 84, which describes the rape of an enslaved woman by a plantation owner, WATE reported. (capitol.tn.gov) The removal drew objections from local educators, historians and at least one school board member, according to Knoxville television and newspaper accounts. (knoxschools.org) ### How did “Roots” get removed? Tennessee’s Age-Appropriate Materials Act gives parents a route to challenge books and other materials they believe are inappropriate in schools, WATE reported. Knox County Schools removed “Roots” after such a complaint, and WATE said the complaint was filed anonymously. Knox County Schools spokeswoman Carly Harrington told WBIR that “Roots” had been added to an updated list of titles to be removed from school libraries. Nashville Scene reported on May 19 that the district had taken the book out of its curriculum this week after the complaint. (wate.com) ### What part of the book was challenged? Chapter 84 was the section cited in the challenge, according to WATE. The passage describes sexual violence against an enslaved woman, a fact that has become central to the district’s explanation for why the book was pulled. (wate.com) Keith Wilson, Knox County Schools’ assistant superintendent of academics, told WATE that the law had changed from a framework that also weighed whether a text had “artistic value” or “historical value.” His description, as quoted by the station, was that the district’s review now turns more narrowly on age appropriateness under state law. (wbir.com) ### Why has the decision drawn so much attention? Alex Haley’s “Roots” carries unusual weight in Tennessee because state lawmakers moved in 2024 to designate it as one of 10 official state books. A Tennessee General Assembly fiscal note on HB 1828 lists “Roots, Alex Haley (1977)” among the proposed titles. (wate.com) The contrast between that state recognition and the local removal helped drive the backlash. Nashville Scene framed the dispute as Knox County banning “one of our state books,” while local television coverage tied the debate to broader concerns about access to Black history in schools. (wate.com) ### Who has objected publicly? Rev. Reneé Kesler, president of the Beck Cultural Exchange Center, told WATE that “Roots” might not be appropriate for every age group but questioned whether taking books “off the shelf” solves the problem. She said her role was to ensure “history is not erased” and “preserve memory.” (capitol.tn.gov) John Butler, a Knox County school board member, told WATE that books “about us” were being targeted and urged a reversal. Knox News reported on May 16 that school board members were pushing for a path to undo the removal, though the paper said the route to reversal was unclear under a 2024 policy update. (bearswire.usatoday.com) ### What happens next? The Knox County Board of Education has nine elected members and oversees district policy, according to the school system’s website. The district also posts public notices, agendas and administrative procedures online, including policy-review meetings and board sessions where materials policy can be discussed. (wate.com) A May 12 public notice said the Knox County Schools Policy Review Committee would meet on May 15 at Summer Place in downtown Knoxville and that other policies could be discussed. Any formal change to district policy or procedure would move through those public board channels. (knoxschools.org 1) (knoxschools.org 2) (wate.com)