Island Trees School District v. Pico, 457 U.S. 853 (1982), was a case in which the United States Supreme Court ruled that the First Amendment limits the power of local school boards to remove books from school libraries because of their content.

The case arose in Island Trees, New York, where the school board removed nine books from school libraries after a complaint from a group of parents. The books were all controversial, and some of them dealt with topics such as sex, religion, and politics.

The students who used the library sued the school board, arguing that the removal of the books violated their First Amendment rights. The lower courts ruled in favor of the school board, but the Supreme Court reversed the decision.

In a plurality opinion written by Justice William J. Brennan, the Court held that school libraries are places for “voluntary inquiry” and that the school board’s removal of the books was an attempt to “preclude the students from obtaining information that is relevant to their lives and interests.” The Court also held that the school board’s removal of the books was not justified by the need to protect students from harmful material.

The Island Trees decision was a significant victory for First Amendment rights in schools. It established that school libraries are places where students have the right to access information, even if that information is controversial. The decision also made it more difficult for school boards to remove books from libraries simply because they disagree with the content of the books.

The Island Trees decision has been criticized by some for being too broad. They argue that the decision gives students too much control over the content of school libraries. However, the decision has also been praised by others for protecting the First Amendment rights of students.