What’s the Full List of 596 Books Banned at DoDEA Schools?
Extensive List of Titles Sparks Outcry Over Censorship from Military Families
Through the on-going ACLU lawsuit against the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) filed on behalf of a dozen students and their families, we recently learned the complete list of 596 books removed from DoDEA schools.
The vast majority of the titles center on gender and racial themes, part of a broader campaign to silence marginalized voices that ultimately threatens access to knowledge and development of critical thinking for military-connected students.
Highlights from the banned list include:
Educational resources, including AP Psychology study guides discussing gender identity, puberty guides with gender references, and books on Stonewall and LGBTQ+ history.
Award‑winning fiction, including Ta‑Nehisi Coates’ Between the World and Me, Stamped: Racism, Antiracism and You, and various titles on Black Lives Matter and privilege.
Children’s biographies about transgender leaders like Chaz Bono, Laverne Cox, Rachel Levine, and others, along with With Honor and Integrity, an anthology of transgender service members’ stories.
Graphic novels such as Heartstopper, which portrays a teen gay romance adapted into a Netflix series.
View the full list of banned books in the court documents here.
What happens next?
DoDEA maintains that these books are under temporary review and haven’t been permanently banned, although no process or timetable for reinstatement has been announced.
Why It Matters to Military Families
Freedom at stake: Military kids, like all students, are entitled to access diverse and authentic voices. Removing these books raises serious free speech concerns and is especially egregious in military schools where students come from families who serve every day to protect those rights at home and abroad.
Educational harm: These materials are crucial tools for understanding identity, history, and empathy. Their removal leaves gaps in students’ learning and worldview. Military kids in particular grow up in uniquely diverse environments. They interact with peers from different racial, cultural, and socioeconomic backgrounds. Books that discuss race, gender, and history are vital for them to both understand their own identities and empathize with others.
Push Back: Join Our "Uncensor Your Summer" Reading Challenge
To push back on this censorship, MFFE is inviting military families and allies to uncensor your summer and join us in reading banned books as an act of resistance. This isn’t just summer reading, it’s a stand for intellectual freedom and the right of military kids to see themselves in the stories on their shelves.
How to Join the UnOfficial Summer Reading Challenge:
Check Out Banned or Challenged Books: We’ve provided a list of suggested titles pulled from DoDEA and local district complaints that you can check out from your local library or buy online.
Read with Purpose: Talk with your kids about why the books matter. Discuss the themes, the characters, and why someone might want to keep them off the shelves.
Submit the Reading Log: Once your kiddo has finished 12 books (they don’t all have to be from the banned list!), make sure they submit the reading log by September 5th to read@mail.whitehouse.gov.
Share Your Story: Post your book selections, favorite stories, or reflections using #ReadBannedBooks, #UncensorMySummer, or #RedWhiteandBanned. And let’s see those reading logs too!
Final Thoughts
This isn’t just about 596 books: it's about what voices we value in our community. Book bans in military communities don’t just hurt students, they impact entire families. They send the message that some stories, identities, and histories are too dangerous to explore. That’s not the freedom military families stand for.
Let’s read boldly, share openly, and stand firm in defense of free expression.