The West Valley NAACP plans to file a formal complaint against Peoria Unified School District after three books featuring people of color were removed from the district’s K-8 curriculum for the 2026-27 school year.
The books are Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, A Raisin in the Sun and Summer of the Mariposas. District officials said a textbook review committee raised concerns about material including descriptions of physical abuse, racial slurs, profanity and sexual references. A Raisin in the Sun was also flagged for references to unintended pregnancy and abortion.
The district said the books remain available in high school courses and that removing them from K-8 classes does not mean students will stop learning about the historical subjects they cover. Officials said remaining English and social studies lessons continue to meet Arizona standards and include historical context and primary-source material.
The NAACP decision comes after community members criticized the removals during a recent governing board meeting and connected them to the district’s anti-DEI policies.
The dispute highlights the challenge schools face in balancing age-appropriate curriculum decisions with concerns about representation and access to literature dealing with difficult parts of American history.
