♪ this is "nightline." >> tonight, book bans. the fight over controversial texts. >> this is wrong, this is censorship. >> is it protecting kids or undue suppression? school board meetings turning into battlegrounds. >> we please ask you to protect our children, and if you can't, we the people will. >> now who gets to decide what students can read. >> how dare you say that this child can't have access to it? the oscar nominees making history. from ariana debose's breakthrough in "west side story" to the power of the dog's" jane campion, the first woman nominated twice as best director. and the films that broke

barriers like "summer of soul." >> it's like we get a chance to hop in the delorean and go back in time. >> but first, the "nightline 5." however you say i love you, we'll help you show it with an extra 20% off something. star bonus days are going on now at macy's. find your rhythm, your happy place. find your breaking point. then break it. every eve every

♪ thanks for joining us. banning books is not a new phenomenon, but in today's polarized times it's suddenly taken on new urgency.

some school board meetings becoming battlefields. on one side those who say they want to protect youth. and those who call that censorship. here's abc's janai norman. >> i'm not going to stand by while our town's educators are threatened by a school board member and our marginalized communities are silenced. >> reporter: 17-year-old jack petczos is in the center of a controversy sweeping a nation. >> this has become a nationwide issue. this is wrong, this is censorship. >> reporter: in september the flagler county school board voted to remove four books from the shelves of jack's high school. all of them dealing with anti-racism and lgbtq+ issues. >> i just think that they're critical to really our learning and furthering our understanding of the world and the issues that plague us. >> reporter: it's not just here in florida. across the country, school districts are removing books from their curriculums and libraries at a record pace, saying they're harmful to children.

the american library association reported 330 book challenges in just the first three months of this school year alone. it's all part of a larger struggle over public education and who gets to decide what children learn. >> i think it's time that everyone in america takes a step back and says, what are our children being taught? what's the boundary between home and school? >> these book bans are more than about books, they are part of the broader culture wars that are playing out in classrooms, in curriculum in regulations around what can and can't be taught. basically what education looks like in 2022. >> they are rejecting anything that has to do with the teaching of the holocaust, they're rejecting anything that has to do with the teaching of racial justice. we see a lot of rejection around lgbtq communities. anything that goes against the status quo. >> reporter: in tennessee, the mac mcminn county school board

voting unanimously to remove "maus," a pulitzer prize-winning book about the holocaust, from eighth grade curriculum. the school board said the ban had to do with the book's use of profanity and depictions of nudity, violence, and suicide. the graphic novel by art spiegelman tells the true story of how his parents survived the holocaust, with the jews depicted as mice and the nazis as cats. since news broke of "maus" being banned, book sales have soared over 700%. some states are even trying to enact their own bans against certain pieces of work. at least five states have proposed banning the teaching of the "1619 project" which argues that slavery's legacy still endures and is central to how we understand our democracy. nikole hannah-jones created the "1619 project." >> then we have state legislatures in texas that have passed laws to made it illegal to teach the "1619 project" and other anti-racist texts.

what is the real problem and the real concern? states trying to censor ideas they don't like. >> reporter: the move to ban books is as old as the country itself and has been called for by americans of all political persuasions. >> book banning has had a long and notorious career, particularly in american spaces. and it tends to go along in this kind of moment of these anti-democratic moments that we have. particularly when american audiences feel the urge to, rather than expand democracy, restrict democracy. >> republicans are sensing there's a lot of anger out there among parents of school-aged children. and that that is the kind of anger that crosses party lines. >> we please ask you to protect our children. and if you can't, we the people will, by any means necessary. >> reporter: that anger apparent in flagler county, florida. >> it's absolutely crucial that the next generation be exposed

to tolerance and the lived experiences of those facing oppression just because of who they are. >> reporter: this was a meeting in november after the district removed those four books from the library. >> there is zero reason for somebody that cannot purchase a pack of cigarettes to be learning that filth. >> reporter: outside, jack petczos organized a protest with fellow students where they distributed hundreds of copies of those banned books. in a statement to abc news, flagler county schools says they're working on ways to review material that's questioned by members of the community. this includes training on the importance of age-appropriate material and finding ways to give parents the ability to decide what material their children have access to. three of the books have now been returned to the shelves. but one is still banned. "all boys aren't blue" by george m. johnson. you said you kind of live by the

toni morrison quote, if there's a book that you want to read that hasn't been written, you must write it. is that how you felt with this book? >> yes. this is truly the book that i always wished i had to read as i was a young adult growing up. i wanted people who felt like me to feel represented before they even turned the first page. >> reporter: a series of personal essays, the memoir manifesto captures johnson's journey growing up queer and black in new jersey, and later virginia. what do you think is at the heart of the argument for banning your book? >> there's always been a notion of purity and innocence of white children in this country. and so anything that is deemed immoral, as is queerness in many places, as is blackness in many places, automatically is seen as something that could be damaging to the innocent, pure, white child growing up in a changing landscape of america.

>> reporter: the book describes instances of anal and oral sex and details sexual assault. johnson says he wrote it specifically for ages 14 to 18. in jack's school district, one parent says they found the book in a middle school library. i mean, your book is pretty explicit. it uses profanity. there are many strong words. you use racial slurs. i mean, there's graphic sex. if you were targeting this age range, why be so explicit in your writing? >> when you're talking with teens, teens want it real. they don't like it sugarcoated. and so i decided to put it out there in a way that was very true to life. you can shield a lot of things at home. but you cannot shield them from the world. >> parents are being vilified across the country for very real concerns about extremely sexually explicit material. we're talking about incest, rape, pedophilia, masturbation.

>> reporter: grassroots groups like moms for liberty, a nonprofit organization with 165 chapters and over 70,000 members nationwide, has been leading the charge to remove books from schools. >> we saw parents being pushed further and further out. and they needed to organize so they could have a voice. >> reporter: cofounders tiffany justice and tina descovich, mothers and former school board members, say what they're doing isn't banning books but giving parents greater say in what's age appropriate for their children. >> in a nation that all of a sudden is talking about book burning or banning, we're not trying to ban books or burn books. what we are asking is, why are our children being exposed to explicit sexual material in school, and is it helping them to learn to read? >> reporter: earlier this year, their moms for liberty chapter in williamson county, tennessee, filed an 11-page complaint with the state claiming that parts of

a second grade curriculum and even some children's books are anti-american, anti-white, and anti-mexican. >> we absolutely do not want to ban the story of ruby bridges. we absolutely do not want to ban the story of dr. martin luther king. not at all. the concerns came in with the teacher's manual, and how that information was being presented to these 7-year-old children. that child was introduced to the "n" word for the first time at 7 years old. that's not something the school district gets to decide. >> reporter: in the claim, they say the curriculum violates tennessee law and has a heavily biased agenda, one that makes children hate their country, each other, and or themselves. >> what you decide for your kids, your parental rights, do they outweigh the parental rights of parents who feel differently than you? >> no, if there's a parent that wants to read that book to their child, they should absolutely have the right to read that book to their child.

should they be able to give that to my child? absolutely not. >> reporter: for tiffany and tina, what's most important is the ability to decide. but for so many others, it's about whose voices and whose stories get to be heard. >> it's unfair to me, it's unfair to the black/queer teens that you are trying to invalidate. how does that parent's rights outweigh these parents' rights who need this book? >> i think people across this country should care about this issue because it's an attempt, frankly, to marginalize voices within our world. it's an attempt to silence our voices, and we can't stand for it. >> our thanks to janai. up next, we go to the movies. this year's history-making crop of oscar nominees. does scrubbing grease and food feel like a workout? scrub less with dawn platinum. its superior formula breaks down and removes up to 99% of tough grease and food residue faster.

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♪ ♪ this was the year that moviegoers returned to the theater. now the excitement around the newly announced oscar nominees is building with so many firsts. and many in hollywood hoping this is only the beginning. here's abc's chris connelly. >> this year's oscars theme is movie lovers unite. ♪ open up your eyes ♪ >> reporter: on a morning seeking to jump start interest in an awards season buffeted by the pandemic, and viewers overwhelmed by constant new content -- >> so what'd you think? >> reporter: there was sheer excitement for this morning's brand-new oscar nominees. like in the household of real-life couple kirsten dunst

and jesse plemons for "the power of the dog." >> i think i got more excited for jesse's nomination. i was crying, then i literally screamed like a maniac when my manager called me and said, oh, jesse's nominated too." >> reporter: kenneth branagh, first to be nominated in seven different categories in his career. writer, director, producer of "belfast." >> it was written from the heart and it seems to have touched the hearts of people who have seen it. to get this recognition from the academy in an incredibly tough year, a wonderful film, it's just amazing. >> reporter: the crowd-pleasing "coda." troy catsu, the first deaf male actor nominee in academy history. >> i'm so grateful that i'm being recognized for my work and for the deaf community, of course it will feel wonderful to finally have american sign language being recognized on the big screen when it hasn't been for so long. it's such an honor.

>> reporter: cody smit mcphee, enjoying his first oscar nod. the linchpin of jane campion's western "the power the dog" and its dozen nom nations. >> mainly i'm ecstatic to be recognized along with my peers. >> reporter: they're not the only happy ones. the oscars found a way to serve up films that let viewers in. >> paul. >> reporter: just when they needed to most. from the futuristic blockbuster "dune," its messianic saga, sandscapes, and whatever that is, earning ten nominations. >> i would have played the sand in this movie had they offered it to me. >> reporter: to "west side story" by steven spielberg. >> didn't you hear me? >> reporter: powered by a breakthrough performance from ariana dubose as anita. >> every once in a while, you have to assert yourself. well, i would be the darkest-skinned woman to take on this role. and just by virtue of me being a black woman in 1957, the role changes.

>> reporter: this morning's nominations had something for everyone to enjoy. "the power of the dog's" jane campion being the first woman ever nominated twice as best director. a harrowing refugee saga "flee." triple nominated. documentary, animated, and international film. questlove, the music talent -- ♪ this is the dawning of the age of aquarius ♪ >> reporter: nominated for his soaring, spirit-lifting documentary "summer of soul." >> it's like we get a chance to hop in a delorean and go back in time and see these artists right on the verge of genius. >> reporter: the movies themselves put on the verge by covid-19 and changes in the way audiences seek out and consume filmed entertainment, demolishing the infrastructure that once promoted oscar-worthy motion pictures. >> we need to figure out what it

is that consumers are really looking for. but this coexistence of theater and streamer, they all can coexist and all be successful without necessarily taking from one another. >> reporter: mighty movies stepping aside for a minor miracle today, "drive my car." the three-hour japanese movie that could. crashing the best picture and best director party for its creator, ryusuke nomiguchi. >> father, son, and house of gucci. >> reporter: more entitlement in best actress, with academy voters bidding arrividerci to lady gaga's character in "house of gucci." >> why that's so notable, she was the only actress this year that was nominated in every single televised awards show. critics' choice, golden globe, bafta, s.a.g. >> reporter: who joins "eyes of tammy faye's" jessica chastain, and past winners olivia colman, nicole kidman, and penelope cruz in the best actress category? that's right.

kristen stewart. >> this is unreal. >> reporter: who drove her massive fan base into a frenzy during the "twilight" series, now hailed for her offbeat, nervy, not exactly "the crown" take of princess diana in the high anxiety "spencer." >> the best actress category is completely wide open. i think i'm going to stick with kristen stewart right now because this year is so unpredictable. i think we're going to get an unpredictable winner. why not the person who missed out on a s.a.g. nomination? >> reporter: best actor between the incomparable denzel washington in "the tragedy of macbeth" and will smith, who at 53 seems more than due for oscar's blessing. >> who is your best friend? >> you, daddy. >> will smith is the favorite right now, he's been the favorite for quite some time. the third nomination, third time's a charm. everyone wants to see will smith win an oscar. >> reporter: the hope is that everyone wants to see those nominees. the visual glory of the concert footage unshown for a half century in "summer of soul."

>> i didn't dream of any of this. i didn't get into this to, like, oh, yeah, this is going to be instant oscar. i just thought, this is going to be one of the many cool things that i do that people will discover later. >> i've never seen you before. >> reporter: so today there's reason to celebrate. then again, sometimes it's joyful enough just to make the movie. >> the wonderful thing about working on "west side story" was i would come home every single night, i would say, know what i'm dreading? the last day of shooting. i don't want this ever to end. >> our thanks to chris. up next, the quick-thinking police officer who saved a young girl. their amazing close call. now, there's skyrizi. ♪ things are getting clearer ♪ ♪ yeah i feel free ♪ ♪ to bare my skin, yeah that's all me. ♪ ♪ nothing and me go hand in hand ♪ ♪ nothing on my skin that's my new plan. ♪ ♪ nothing is everything. ♪

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♪ finally tonight, the brush with death caught on camera. violet watt was crossing the street on her way to school. that maryland police officer trying to stop traffic for her. the officer pushing the girl out of the way so she wouldn't get hit. corporal annette goodyear getting knocked over by the car. violet not losing her cool,

asking the officer if she was okay. >> she had said, go get help, i need an ambulance. that's when i ran inside. >> the only thing i was thinking was to make sure that little girl was safe and that she wasn't the one to take the impact. she has her entire life ahead of her. >> corporal goodyear is going to be just fine. violet credits her with saving her life. that's heroism. that's "nightline" for tonight. watch our full episodes on hulu. see you back here same time tomorrow. thanks for staying up with us. good night, america.