Democrats Demand Pete Hegseth Halt Book Bans in Military Schools

WASHINGTON — More than two dozen House Democrats on Monday demanded that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth immediately reverse course on what they say is an unconstitutional purge of books and learning materials in dozens of K-12 schools run by the military ― an effort aimed at erasing diversity and LGBTQ+ people.

“We write to express our grave concern about the escalating censorship taking place in schools run by the Department of Defense,” reads a letter signed by 26 members of Congress and led by Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), who is a constitutional scholar and the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee.

“We are alarmed by reports that children at DoD schools were prevented from accessing any library books and many learning materials for a week while officials conducted a ‘review’ to identify any books that are related to the mysterious bodies of thought you call ‘discriminatory equity ideology’ or ‘gender ideology,’” they said. “After this week-long review, the nation’s military schools began purging library books and restricting access to books and learning materials that are reportedly undergoing ‘further review.’”

“You are plainly violating the constitutional rights of DoD families,” they added.

Here’s a copy of their letter, which was sent to Hegseth along with Beth Schiavino-Narvaez, director of the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA), and Darin Selnick, the Defense Department’s undersecretary for personnel and readiness.

DoDEA runs 161 schools worldwide that provide K-12 education to more than 67,000 children of people in the military. It, too, has to comply with President Donald Trump’s executive orders to federal agencies to eradicate any programs related to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI).

After DoDEA last month directed its schools to pull lessons from its curriculum related to immigration, gender and sexuality, the schools responded with things like book bans, a portrait of former first lady Michelle Obama being removed, a Harriet Tubman poster being pulled down, rainbows being taken down in kindergarten classrooms and bans on school clubs for LGBTQ+ students and girls in STEM.

Ironically, Vice President JD Vance’s memoir, “Hillbilly Elegy,” was also banned.

In their letter, House Democrats highlight other books that were reportedly purged from DoDEA schools, including a picture book about the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a single chapter on sexuality and gender used in Advanced Placement psychology, a reading of “A Nation of Immigrants” in a social studies lesson for fourth graders, and a story about a girl who doesn’t like her freckles but eventually learns to love them, titled “Freckleface Strawberry,” by actor Julianne Moore.

“These Orwellian book purges seriously restrict the spectrum of knowledge and literature available to military families,” they wrote to Hegseth.

In the case of one active-duty military officer, Trump’s anti-DEI policies in DoDEA schools ― along with his ban on transgender troops ― are a source of constant stress and fear for people around him. This officer, who requested anonymity to protect his job and his family, said he has served in combat with LGBTQ+ people who have become close friends, currently serves with LGBTQ+ people and has LGBTQ+ children.

Trump’s attacks on transgender service members and LGBTQ+ kids “hits home in so many ways,” said the officer, who serves overseas. “It’s dehumanizing.”

He said his spouse is a teacher at a DoDEA school and was told teachers will be fired for even talking about Trump’s anti-DEI policies.

“If they engage with the media, they will be fired,” said the officer. “If they protest, they will be fired; if they encourage students to protest, they will be fired; if they use social media to protest changes and can be identified as a DoDEA employee, they will be fired; if they speak out at a town hall (even as a parent of a DoDEA child), they will be fired.”

A DoDEA spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment about House Democrats’ letter or about the concerns raised by the overseas DOD employee.

A Defense Department spokesperson deferred to DoDEA for comment.

“As with all Congressional correspondence, the Department will respond directly to the author,” said the spokesperson, referring to Democrats’ letter.

President Donald Trump’s efforts to eradicate diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs have resulted in book bans and rainbows being taken down in kindergarten classrooms in K-12 schools run by the Defense Department.

Matthew Horwood via Getty Images

DoDEA schools have long struggled with inconsistency in their LGBTQ-friendly policies, said Rachel Branaman, executive director of Modern Military Association of America, the largest organization of LGBTQ+ service members, veterans and their families.

Trump’s policies are a giant step backward on this front, she said.

“We have received discrimination reports from some DoDEA schools indicating an influx of bathroom bans, deadnaming, and the disbanding of after-school clubs,” said Branaman. “We are tracking these developments to determine how we can best support the well-being of LGBTQ+ children of military parents if their schools are not safe or welcoming.”

The overseas military officer said while his spouse is worried about job safety, their biggest concern is for their LGBTQ+ students, who now feel scared and isolated. Teachers at this school were initially directed to remove anything from classrooms that could be seen as related to DEI, including community bulletin boards. Later, they were quietly told they could keep those up.

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These anti-DEI policies have already taken a toll on the kids, though.

“Collectively, [the LGBTQ+ students] all stopped talking and interacting except when absolutely necessary,” said the officer.

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