TBA Law Blog


Posted by: Azya Thornton on Nov 24, 2025

A federal judge has declined to block ongoing book bans at one of Tennessee’s largest school districts ahead of a full trial next fall, the Tennessee Lookout reports. In April, after months of school board meetings and the removal of more than 140 books from school libraries, three high school students sued the Rutherford County Board of Education. The students, represented by the ACLU, argued in initial filings that the book bans violated their First Amendment rights and disadvantaged students by limiting access to “crucial, acclaimed and historical works.” Judge Eli Richardson this week denied a preliminary injunction, declining to stop the district from restricting access to books while the case proceeds. Attorneys for both sides declined to comment on the ruling according to the news source.