Knox County votes to challenge Tennessee’s book ban law after “Roots” removal

By: Angela Dennis

Outlets: Tennessee Lookout

Published: June 8, 2026

Words: 1,215

Last Updated: 3 days, 16 hours ago

Body Text Preview

A Knox County school board committee read a single passage from Alex Haley’s Roots and did exactly what Tennessee law told them to do. They banned it, voting to pull it from school libraries.

Knox County Schools Superintendent Jon Rysewyk reversed the ban May 26, returning the 1976 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel to shelves at seven KCS high schools effective immediately. But the law that forced the committee’s hand is still on the books. And Thursday …

Create a free account to access this story and more

Join Plucky Wire to access full stories, collaborate with newsrooms, and discover content from networks around the world.

About

Email Us