A Win in Missouri’s Landmark Court Case Against SB775 and School Library Censorship
After a courageous, three-year fight to restore the right to read, protect the library workforce, and return books to school library shelves in Missouri, the fight ends in a legal victory. EveryLibrary is proud to join readers, parents, educators, and library professionals across Missouri in celebrating a sweeping judicial ruling that strikes down Senate Bill 775 as unconstitutional. Judge J. Dale Youngs’ decision permanently enjoins this bad law.
This ruling is a resounding victory for the Missouri Association of School Librarians (MASL), the Missouri Library Association (MLA), and the state's library workforce. It validates what Missouri’s librarians have argued since 2022. SB 775 was an extreme and constitutionally defective censorship law that harmed students, undermined parental rights, and criminalized the professional practice of librarianship.
It took remarkable courage for MASL and MLA to bring this case. When SB775 passed in the 2022 legislative session, the current wave of unprecedented book bans and library censorship was just ramping up. There was no consensus at the time among library and free expression organizations on whether groups like MLA and MASL should take legal action to protect the workforce and the rights of readers. With this victory in state court, and with tremendous support from the ACLU of Missouri, Missouri’s librarians have shown that going to court is an important part of the overall fight.
One of the most damaging aspects of SB775 was the impossible choice it forced upon school librarians. They could compromise their students’ right to read, or risk exposing themselves to prosecution. The law’s vague language invited arbitrary enforcement and reached so far beyond the school setting that it could have criminalized interactions between volunteers and their own children at home. No responsible government should put educators or families in that position.
It is significant that Judge Youngs found SB775 unconstitutional on all three claims brought by the library associations. He ruled that §573.550 was unconstitutionally vague, impermissibly overbroad, and incompatible with Missouri’s Due Process and Freedom of Speech Clauses. This is not a narrow ruling. It is a structural and fundamental rejection of the law.
With this permanent injunction, that threat is resolved. Every book removed under SB775 must now be returned to school libraries and classroom collections. Librarians and educators regain the ability to serve without fear. Parents regain the rightful role of guiding their own children’s reading in partnership with trained professionals, not at the direction of politicians in Jefferson City.
“This ruling is a decisive victory for Missouri’s students, parents, and library workers,” says John Chrastka, EveryLibrary’s Executive Director. “The court recognized that SB775 was an unconstitutional attempt to replace professional judgment and parental guidance with political interference. I applaud the extraordinary courage of Missouri’s librarians, who have stood together since the law was passed in 2022 to defend the First Amendment rights of their communities. With this decision, the books return to the shelves, the threat of prosecution is lifted, and the rule of law is restored.”
Missouri still has a long road ahead to undo the broader damage caused by waves of censorship and political interference in public library and school settings. EveryLibrary stands with them today and continues to support statewide partners in Missouri who are rebuilding trust, restoring access, and defending the rights of readers and educators against government overreach.