Pentagon schools students sue defence secretary Pete Hegseth over book bans on race and gender

A group of twelve students from Department of Defence Education Activity (DoDEA) schools are taking legal action against US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, accusing him of violating their First Amendment rights through widespread book bans .

The students, who attend Pentagon-operated schools in the US, Italy, and Japan, are being represented by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), which filed a lawsuit on their behalf in a Virginia federal court, rdianeported The Guar

The case centres on the Pentagon’s removal of books and curriculum material dealing with race, gender identity, and LGBTQ+ issues. The bans were introduced under Hegseth’s leadership and align with Donald Trump’s executive orders aimed at ending diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives in federal institutions.

According to the ACLU, the bans are not only unconstitutional but harmful. They prevent students from accessing important information about biology, health, and abuse. The complaint also highlights the cancellation of Black and Women’s History Month programmes and censorship of student yearbooks that mention gender identity.

The ACLU argues that book bans in these schools go beyond political disagreement. "This is not how public schools are supposed to work – students have a right to learn," said Emerson Sykes, ACLU’s lead counsel.

Titles removed include I know why the caged bird sings, A queer history of the United States, and Julian is a Mermaid. At the same time, controversial titles like Adolf Hitler’s Mein Kampf were left untouched. The ban also extended to the US Naval Academy, where nearly 400 books were removed.

Authors such as Geraldine Brooks and Jennifer Finney Boylan have criticised the bans. Boylan, a transgender writer, said the censorship reflects deeper intolerance. "Trump may hate dogs, but dogs are great judges of character," she wrote.