Librarian 'gobsmacked' after school uses AI to remove 200 books from shelves including Orwell's 1984 and Twilight

[Celerity]

Senior staff at the secondary school in Greater Manchester used AI to earmark 200 books for removal from its library that were deemed "inappropriate"

https://www.lbc.co.uk/article/librarian-gobsmacked-school-ai-remove-books-5HjdWsc_2/



Senior staff at the secondary school in Greater Manchester used AI to earmark 200 books for removal from its library that were deemed "inappropriate". Among those pulled were Michelle Obama's autobiography and The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks. A freedom of expression charity claims the school asked an AI chatbot which books were not suitable for its pupils.

The school librarian said she was "gobsmacked" when she was told to remove any books that was "not written for children", had "themes that could be upsetting to children" and "constitute a safeguarding risk". And when she refused to ban these books, she was put under a 'safeguarding' investigation.

This led her to resign and get in contact with Index, on the condition the organisation protected her anonymity. Many of these books were initially removed in November 2025, when the purge first started. The school's headteacher first demanded the removal of Laura Bates' nonfiction title Men Who Hate Women, which is an exposé of incel culture.

The book, which was kept in a special section for older pupils, was thought to be inappropriate due to 'exposure of misogynistic beliefs'. An investigation into the librarian was soon launched and the library closed as a "temporary safeguarding measure". The staff member was accused of introducing "inappropriate books" into the school and reported to the council as a safeguarding risk.

snip

[highplainsdem]

1. Outrageous. More info here:

https://www.indexoncensorship.org/2026/03/greater-manchester-school-library-censorship-who-is-accountable/

Now, a local media outlet has uncovered and published the name of the school. Emily’s identity remains hidden. The school in question is the Lowry Academy in Salford, part of the United Learning Trust.

There were extra details Index could not reveal when the name of the school was concealed. We can now address these issues, which are in the public interest. We can reveal how the local authority upheld the safeguarding complaint that destroyed a librarian’s career, the evidence that contradicts the school’s response and the bigger concerns for both Greater Manchester and the United Learning Trust.

-snip-

While the name Lowry Academy is new, the public might be more familiar with it as the former Harrop Fold School, featured on the Channel 4 documentary Educating Greater Manchester. The school, whose leadership changed after it was fully academised in 2020, had a “good” Ofsted rating in 2024, but it was noted that pupils in key stage 4 had limited time devoted to personal, social and health education.

The academy is now part of the United Learning Trust, which says on its website that its ethos “is our expression of our Christian roots, in schools which are fully inclusive and both welcome and respect students and staff of all faiths and none”.

Would love to know which chatbot they used. I couldn't find any info on that, and possibly the school hasn't divulged that information.

[2naSalit]

2. Manchester, England.

[OldBaldy1701E]

3. It will be much worse here.

England is less inclined to make decisions based on a particular religion and its idiotic views on things.

Here, however....

[muriel_volestrangler]

4. According to one report, they even banned a Terry Pratchett book

This is GB News, which is right wing, but even they seem a bit gobsmacked at this:

Terry Pratchett's comedic fantasy Soul Music was flagged for "adult audience content" potentially including "sexual material, violence, abuse, substance misuse, or psychologically distressing themes".

I've never read a Pratchett book (and I have read Soul Music) that wouldn't be fine for anyone over 11. I don't think his "sexual material" goes beyond something like "they joyously spent the night together".

[efhmc]

5. To me, nothing makes books more interesting than to say they are banned. Didn't the Catholic church used to ban things?

Do they still? Everyone then immediately wanted to "see" or read that item.

[LymphocyteLover]

6. Another step in our growing dystopia... soon to be coming to a school near you

[malaise]

7. They should be

Rec