A Southern California school district is holding a public hearing Tuesday night to decide whether to remove the Bible from its library shelves.
A formal complaint filed against the King James Version in the Redlands Unified School District alleges the text contains “inappropriate material for students.” The specific passages cited in the complaint have not been publicly disclosed, according to Mercury News.
The review was triggered by a district policy adopted in August requiring that any book challenged by a complaint be pulled from shelves and evaluated within 45 days. A committee then rates it for sexual content, violent content, and age appropriateness.
In this case, the committee is not recommending removal. Three report cards dated Feb. 24 gave the Bible between 4 and 7 points on a 25-point scale, placing it in the lowest tier and recommending it stay on shelves.
The board is not bound by that recommendation.
“Following deliberation, the board shall vote to designate the appropriate grade-level access,” a district report states. “If the material is deemed unsuitable for any level, it will be permanently removed from the corresponding schools and district facilities within five business days of the board’s decision.”
The King James Bible was first commissioned in 1604 and published in 1611. It is one of the most widely distributed books in human history.
The Redlands decision follows other recent library actions by the board. In December, members voted to fully remove “Push” by Sapphire. “The Bluest Eye” by Toni Morrison is now restricted to students 18 and older with parental consent.
Critics of the district’s review policy argue it mirrors a 2024 Chino Valley Unified policy and may conflict with California Assembly Bill 1078, a 2023 state law that prohibits book bans in school and public libraries and bars censorship of instructional materials.
