A secondary school in Greater Manchester used artificial intelligence to generate justifications for removing almost 200 books from its library — including some of the most widely read titles in modern literature — while placing the school librarian under a safeguarding investigation that ultimately ended her career.
The case was uncovered by free expression charity Index on Censorship, which has withheld the names of both the school and the librarian due to concerns about her vulnerability. The librarian spoke to the organisation anonymously, describing events that began in November 2025 when the headteacher demanded the removal of Laura Bates’ nonfiction book Men Who Hate Women — an investigation into incel culture — on the grounds that it exposed misogynistic beliefs, despite the book being held in a section designated for older pupils.
Following that incident, the library was closed as a “temporary safeguarding measure” and the librarian was placed under investigation. She was instructed to remove any book not written specifically for children, any title containing themes that could be upsetting, and anything deemed inappropriate or a safeguarding risk. “I was absolutely gobsmacked. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing,” she told Index.
A list of 193 books was compiled and shared with her, with the school subsequently admitting in a document seen by Index that the justifications for each removal had been generated by artificial intelligence. The document stated: “Although the categorisation was generated using AI, I consider this classification to be broadly accurate.”
The titles flagged included a graphic novel adaptation of George Orwell’s 1984, cited for themes of torture and sexual coercion; Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight, listed for “mature romantic themes” and vampire violence; Michelle Obama’s memoir Becoming, flagged for racism and political themes; and Nicholas Sparks’ The Notebook, listed — strikingly — for being a “romantic drama about enduring love and memory loss.” Terry Pratchett’s Soul Music, Zadie Smith’s White Teeth, Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code and actor Alan Rickman’s autobiography Madly Deeply were also among the books earmarked.
The librarian was reported to the council as a safeguarding risk, faced the threat of gross misconduct proceedings, signed off sick with stress and eventually resigned. The council’s safeguarding complaint was upheld on the grounds that she had failed to follow safeguarding procedures due to the presence of books with “inappropriate content,” despite some of the books having been ordered by others and all purchases having been signed off by her line manager.
Caroline Roche, chair of the School Libraries Group, said the outcome was “over the top” and had “ruined her career,” adding that because the matter had gone through safeguarding procedures, the librarian would be unable to work in a school again.
Index on Censorship said the case highlighted the absence of statutory guidance for school libraries, which leaves librarians exposed to the unchecked demands of headteachers. The organisation described it as “an unprecedented attack on the freedom to read and intellectual freedom.”
The school has not responded to requests for comment.
