DENVER — Today, a U.S. District Judge issued a preliminary injunction in a lawsuit over the Elizabeth School District’s ban and removal of 19 books from its school libraries. The Elizabeth School District now must return the books to school libraries by March 25, 2025 and is enjoined from removing additional books because the board disagrees with their content or viewpoint. 

The following statement can be attributed to Tim Macdonald, ACLU of Colorado Legal Director: 

“This is a major victory for the students of Elizabeth and all Coloradans. Having access to a diversity of viewpoints is integral to the well-being and education of all students, and this injunction gives them that opportunity. 

“School Districts that ban books because the officials disagree with the content or viewpoints expressed in those books do a disservice to students, authors, and the community.  Such book bans violate the Constitution — period. We’ll keep fighting to ensure a permanent end to this practice.” 

Today, on February 27, 2025, the ACLU of Colorado sent a letter to Colorado sheriffs and county attorneys asking they confirm they do not have or immediately rescind jail policies, whether formal or informal, that treat incarcerated transgender people differently than their cisgender peers. The letter comes in response to a recent decision from the Tenth Circuit, Griffith v. El Paso, that found jail policies classifying incarcerated transgender people inconsistent with their gender identity are presumptively unconstitutional and subject to heightened scrutiny under the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. 

“All trans people deserve to be treated with dignity. The Tenth Circuit’s recent decision affirms this,” said Tim Macdonald, ACLU of Colorado Legal Director. “Now, as federal actors threaten to cause trans people extreme harm and distress, local and state law enforcement must reaffirm their commitment to equal protection under the law.”