NAACP to file complaint after Peoria Unified pulls books on people of color from K-8 classes

The Peoria Unified School District removed three books about historical figures of color from its K-8 curriculum for the 2026-27 school year, citing anti-DEI policies and concerns about age-appropriateness.

“Summer of the Mariposas”, “A Raisin in the Sun” and “Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass” were all cut.

The district said a textbook selection committee flagged the books for content including graphic depictions of physical abuse, racial slurs, profanity, sexual references. In the case of “A Raisin in the Sun”, the district flagged content around an unintended pregnancy and abortion.

Visintainer said the material was “not appropriate” for students in middle school but remains part of high school AP courses and is still covered in social studies instruction.

The books remain available in high school courses, Interim Superintendent Tahlya Visintainer said.

“Regarding the narrative of the life of Frederick Douglass. This is for grade 8. It was identified as having graphic descriptions of physical abuse and exploitation of enslaved people, racial slurs, and sexual references. Again, feeling that this is not the appropriate material for 8th graders,” she said during the board meeting last week.

Community members and parents spoke out about the removal of the books, blaming the decision on the school’s anti-DEI policies adopted after a federal order was issued in 2025.

Community member Trina Berg said the school originally adopted the anti-DEI policy over threat of losing federal funding, which is no longer a threat after a federal judge ruled that the U.S. Department of Education could not cut education funding over diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.

“It appears that we removed three stories, three different literature parts of our books, that are people of color and it’s not a good look,” she said. “And book banning is never historically speaking a good look.”

Kerry Cooper with the West Valley National Association for the Advancement of Colored People said the organization will be filing a formal complaint against the district.

“We’re not here to debate whether or not any of these books would run parallel with Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn or Henry David Thoreau’s Walden. We’re not here to do that, but what we are here to do today is to make sure that the board is aware that a formal complaint will be filed and that we would like to meet with you to discuss the policies that have been enacted,” he said.

A district spokesperson said the removal of the books does not mean the removal of lessons related to those historical events.

“The skills and knowledge required by the Arizona State Standards continue to be taught in every grade through the remaining ELA modules, and social studies instruction continues to cover historical context and primary source excerpts,” the spokesperson said.

Funding for this journalism is made possible by the Arizona Local News Foundation.

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