Cobb County Schools Pull Toni Morrison's The Bluest Eye from Libraries

Cobb County Schools Superintendent Chris Ragsdale declared that the district would withdraw Toni Morrison’s The Bluest Eye from its libraries, referencing a scene in which the protagonist is raped by her father. He said the decision protects parents from unexpected exposure to graphic sexual content for sixth-grade readers. Advocates from the Georgia Library Media Association, including retired librarian Nan Brown, contend that the district ignored the 2022 statute that mandates a parent-filed complaint and a formal review.

Under district policy, only a parent or legal guardian may request removal, yet Ragsdale said the issue arose from conversations with other superintendents. A district spokesperson did not respond to inquiries about the procedural steps taken. The move echoes a 2022 incident in Forsyth County, where similar bans were reversed after a federal investigation. Brown argued the book fails the Miller obscenity test and holds significant literary merit, describing the contested passage as violent rather than titillating.