Books with themes of diversity were discovered in the trash outside of an elementary school in Staten Island, New York.
According to ABC7, the books were found with critical notes attached to them at PS 55 Elementary School.
One of the items thrown out was a Black Panther book with a note reading "It wasn't approved." Another book found in the trash covered an immigrant on the border and its note said "Our country has no room and it's not fair." A roller derby book about a dad discussing being transgender was also discovered in the trash.
According to reports, the incident was uncovered by a tip from a woman who rescued boxes of books in November.
The Department of Education said they've launched an investigation into the incident.
"Our public schools do not shy away from books that teach students about the diverse people and communities that make up the fabric of our society," the department said in a statement. "We do not condone the messages found on these books and we are conducting an investigation to understand what happened in this situation."
The DOE said they will ensure school leadership follows guidelines on how to get rid of any books or obsolete equipment.
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