Tennessee Republican senator wants to change book-ban law

Republican state Sen. Richard Briggs says Tennessee’s library book review law needs to be cleaned up to stop groundbreaking books such as “Roots” from being taken off school shelves.

Briggs, a veteran Knoxville lawmaker, said this week he isn’t opposed to “initial” reviews of books as part of the state’s “Age-Appropriate Materials Act,” which was passed in 2022 at the request of Gov. Bill Lee and was updated in 2024.

“But then if somebody thinks it was wrong to pull the book, ultimately the decision needs to be made by elected people who are accountable to the public, which would be the school board,” Briggs said.

Under current law, the book is pulled from the shelves based on the decision of a school district committee, and no record is made public of the complaint.

Knox County Schools takes “Roots” off banned book list, restores to libraries

The retired U.S. Army physician said he was “appalled” that Knox County Schools removed Pulitzer Prize-winning “Roots” after a school district committee determined it violated the state’s policy against books containing nudity, sexual content, excessive violence or sadomasochistic abuse. A section in the book depicting the rape of the enslaved woman Kizzy by her enslaver led to its removal.

Briggs said it also bothered him that “Kite Runner,” an award-winning book set in Afghanistan where he served a tour of duty, was removed from the district’s high schools.

Knox County Schools Superintendent Jon Rysewyk opted to return “Roots” to high school libraries after public outcry, and the Knox County School Board voted last week to urge the legislature to revisit the law, which has led to removal or restrictions on 1,600 books statewide.

The family of author Alex Haley, who grew up in Henning, north of Memphis, and lived on a farm in Clinton outside Knoxville, was outraged that the novel was banned.

Briggs said he is willing to sponsor legislation because the law needs an appeal process decided by elected officials, rather than non-elected bureaucrats, even though the Knox County superintendent is appointed by the school board.

The Knox County School Board resolution asks lawmakers to make three changes: renew contextual reviews to ensure books are evaluated in their entirety, considering historical, literary, religious and educational significance; increase the review period to 90 days from 60; and set guidelines for different grades and ages.

Democratic Rep. Sam McKenzie of Knoxville told the Lookout he will take the board’s proposal to lawmakers in 2027. McKenzie sponsored two measures in the recent 114th General Assembly session dealing with the state’s book ban, one that would repeal the law and another that would require books to remain in schools until reviews are complete. Both failed in an education subcommittee.

McKenzie said Tuesday he wants to sponsor bipartisan legislation with Briggs to alter the state law.

“That’s local control by people who’ve been elected in terms of school board and the administration,” said McKenzie, who opposes final decisions by what he termed a “super-secret” committee.

McKenzie, whose district includes a statue of Haley in Morningside Park, added that he was “pleasantly surprised” that the Knox County Schools superintendent was able to return the books to high school shelves.