Eastport-South Manor school district says no censorship, ban on 'obsolete' book list

Eastport-South Manor school officials said on Tuesday that the district has not moved to ban or censor any books from the classroom after the New York Civil Liberties Union questioned a decision to get rid of hundreds of copies of 14 books — some which have been a source of controversy in parts of the country.

Schools Superintendent Joseph A. Steimel in a letter posted on the district's website on Tuesday wrote that the district only "removed the worn or damaged copies from our shelves" and the books "remain in circulation and will be replaced as needed."

The district’s school board voted in July 2024 to declare "obsolete" several books in their collection including a number of which have been the subject of recent bans in other parts of the country or contain themes of race and identity.

The action was questioned by the New York Civil Liberties Union, which suggested that many of titles have not been replaced and many have not appeared in syllabuses since 2019, Newsday previously reported.

Steimel, in a statement to Newsday, said: "The district has never removed these items from the curriculum."

"The district is committed to providing a diverse and robust literary experience for our students, ensuring they have access to a wide array of voices and perspectives that reflect their experiences and expand their understanding of the world," he said. "We regularly review the physical condition of the materials in our collections in order to ensure our students have access to educational materials that are not only engaging but also well maintained."

While the district provided the NYCLU with information about some of the books, Johanna Miller, director of the Education Policy Center at the New York Civil Liberties Union, in a statement to Newsday called for more transparency and information about the other books.

"Transparency and access to diverse ideas are fundamental to students’ rights and a healthy, democratic education system." Miller added.

Some of the titles in question included acclaimed works such as Toni Morrison’s "The Bluest Eye," Zora Neale Hurston’s "Their Eyes Were Watching God" and Richard Wright’s "Black Boy."

Regarding those books, the district in an email to Newsday on Tuesday, said it maintained 65 copies for classroom use and one copy currently in the district’s library catalog of "The Bluest Eye"; 24 classroom copies of the "Their Eyes Were Watching God" and 9 library copies; 31 copies of "Black Boy" for classroom use and one in their library.

Told about the district's response, Miller said they are "encouraged to learn that three of the books labeled ‘obsolete’ remain in circulation, we’re still waiting for answers about the remaining ... books."

The Eastport-South Manor district had more than 2,700 students enrolled in the 2023-24 school year, including about 450 Hispanic students and roughly 50 Black students, according to state data.

Among the 14 titles were 11 literary works, a dictionary for children, a handbook, and a literature textbook. At least 4 out of the 11 were on PEN America's index of book bans from 2023-2024.

According to PEN America "The Bluest Eye" is among the most commonly banned books in the country, while Morrison's "Song of Solomon," "Their Eyes Were Watching God" and "Go Ask Alice" by Beatrice Sparks have also been the subject of bans.

District officials have also noted in the past to the NYCLU that they intended to amend its July 2024 resolution declaring the books obsolete to clarify which works remain in the curriculum and pass a separate resolution to "surplus" items that are not in good condition for use.

Steimel said on Tuesday the resolution has not yet been presented to the board "as the district is continuing to review this matter in an effort to best eliminate any confusion or misconceptions by the public about the disposal of worn and used books."