Toni Morrison's "The Bluest Eye" removed from Cobb County school libraries

Cobb County officials have removed Toni Morrison's novel "The Bluest Eye" from school library bookshelves over material they say is not suitable for children.

On Thursday, the Cobb County School District announced the removal of the novel from its libraries, saying a review process found passages violated the district's standards of acceptable content for sixth to 12th graders.

The district specifically mentioned a passage depicting the rape of one of the main characters by her father.

"The words speak for themselves," Superintendent Chris Ragsdale said in a statement. "Both as a father and as a superintendent, I think about a parent having to explain to their sixth-grade daughter after she encounters explicit descriptions of child incest and rape in a book provided at school, without parents knowledge. As the superintendent responsible for the instruction of 100,000 students, I do not have the luxury of making that decision for other parents and their children."

First published in 1970, the book has been the center of legal challenges connected with its themes and depiction of sexual abuse. It was placed on the American Library Association's top 10 list of most challenged books in 2006, 2013, 2014, 2020, 2022, and 2024.

"The Bluest Eye" is the only book removed from school library shelves this year in Cobb County. Since 2024, the district has removed 30 titles, including "This Book Is Gay" by Juno Dawson, "American Psycho" by Bret Easton Ellis, and "A Court of Thorns and Roses" by Sarah J. Maas. 

Under Cobb County's policies, any parent or guardian of a student can request that a book be reviewed, and submit an appeal if the issue is unresolved at the school level. District staff can also flag a title for review.

The district says other works by Morrison remain available in its schools.