Rochester Public Schools in Minnesota has removed "The Rainbow Parade," a 2022 children's book about Pride, from its elementary school libraries. The decision followed a parent's complaint regarding illustrations of public nudity, including two men in bondage gear. The book, which depicts a young girl attending her first Pride parade with her two moms, includes text describing attendees wearing "hardly anything at all."

Participants at a Pride Parade. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

While a review committee of librarians, community members, and teachers recommended keeping the book, Superintendent Kent Pekel overruled them, citing the inappropriateness of the nudity for young children. He emphasized that the removal was solely due to the nudity and not other potentially controversial content, such as the bondage gear or a protest sign reading "Silence equals death." Pekel's decision has sparked mixed reactions among school board members, some concerned about setting a precedent for removing other LGBTQ-themed books.

Attendees at the San Francisco Pride Parade. ((Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images))

Despite the removal, Pekel assured the community of the district's continued commitment to LGBTQ students and families, stating that there would be "no backtracking" on supporting their lived experiences. This followed an incident where a parent expressed anger over the district's decision. The board has forwarded Pekel's recommendation to the Minnesota Department of Education. This incident occurs amidst a national debate over explicit content in school libraries, with organizations like the American Library Association advocating against what they consider censorship of LGBTQ+ materials.

GLSEN's "Rainbow Library" provides LGBTQ+ books to schools. (GLSEN Arizona/YouTube)

Parents protesting about books in schools. (David McNew/Getty Images)