[4] The 1870 Tennessee constitution prevented black and white children from attending the same public schools, barring integration.

According to the school district, the reasons that it removed the book were “unnecessary” profanity (they focused on some bad words, such as "damn"),[16] depictions of nude mice, murder, and suicide, and what the board deemed the values of the community; in addition, a board member pointed out that at one time in the past the author of Maus had drawn cartoons for Playboy magazine.

Author Art Spiegelman criticized the move, describing it variously as baffling, "Orwellian", and “daffily myopic.”[17] The board's decision was covered by media in the United States, Europe, and Israel.

[18] Spiegelman, whose parents survived the Auschwitz concentration camp, also observed that he got the impression that the board members were asking, “Why can’t they teach a nicer Holocaust?”[19] The Tennessean noted the swelling of significant backlash from politicians, journalists, organizations, and others.

[20] Tennessee State Representative John Ray Clemmons (D-Nashville), criticizing the board's action, said "Books are being stripped out of public libraries that give detailed personal accounts from survivors and about victims of the Holocaust.

"[21] Tennessee's United States Representative Jim Cooper (D-Nashville), called the decision "outrageous" and "really shameful."

In addition, Tennessee's United States Representative Steve Cohen (D-Memphis), condemning the book's removal, said he hoped to see the school board's decision reversed.

[20] Tennessee Wesleyan University librarian Alex Sharp, in McMinn County, said that banning the book because "[b]ecause it has eight swear words?

[25] The owner of the Nirvana Comics bookstore 15 miles (24 km) away from McMinn County in Knoxville, Tennessee, offered loans of "The Complete Maus" to any student, and donors sent him $30,000 to help fund his efforts.