Texas Appeals Court Upholds Free Speech in Library Book Ban Case

Ruling states books cannot be removed for controversial content alone, reinforcing First Amendment rights.

The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against banning books based on content disagreements.
The case involved books with humorous themes as well as those on sexuality, gender identity, and racism.
Seven Llano County residents sued after 17 books were removed from public libraries.
Eight of the contested books, including a memoir by a transgender teen, must be returned to shelves.
Texas led the nation in book ban attempts in 2022, according to the American Library Association.