Stacy Langton, a mother of six, says it's a win after Fairfax County Public Schools quietly removed from its shelves a graphic novel called "Queer: A Graphic History." The reason given: "Due to outdated terminology that is no longer used in the LGBTQ+ community."
Regardless of the stated reason, Langton told Fox News she was informed that the book had been removed more than a year after registering her complaint with the school board. "I think they didn't want me to know that they took it out because it's a win for me, you know? I mean, let's call it what it is. It's a victory."
Todd Gathje is the vice president of government relations at The Family Foundation of Virginia. He explains in an interview with AFN that this demonstrates the impact just one parent can have.
"[This] just seems to be consistent with what we're hearing around the state of Virginia in which parents are going into school libraries at their child's school and finding adult-themed books that are not intended for young eyes," he laments. "[They're finding those books] in the wrong places, threatening [children's] values – but also threatening their innocence."
Langton told Fox News that an assistant superintendent in the school district explained in an email that her remarks to the school board likely prompted librarians to pull the book for review – but that no schools were directed to remove the book from shelves. Such decisions are left to the librarians, said that email.
Asked why some parents are determined to allow their children to have access to explicit sexual material, Gathje responds: "I would say it's a matter of worldview."
He continues: "For many traditional families, for parents who are concerned about the well-being of their children, they take a very strong position in terms of what their children should and shouldn't see. And I think there are those with a worldview that they're going to allow kids to see any type of material, regardless if it's sexually explicit or not."
He has a suggestion for those who possess that worldview: "[They can go to] a bookstore somewhere to purchase the book and find the book if they so desire – but don't force it on other families and force them to have conversations with children [who are] really not ready to handle these adult-themed concepts and topics."
'Predator's dream' in the making
Meanwhile, lawmakers in New Jersey have passed a bill to protect school librarians from lawsuits over the books they provide to students – and Gov. Phil Murphy is expected to sign it. The "Freedom to Read Act" (NJ A3446) would limit book bans while protecting school librarians from lawsuits from parents objecting to some of the materials provided to students.
Sponsors of the bill argue the bill responds to rising pressures to censor certain books, especially those focused on "marginalized voices" like black and LGBTQ+ communities. Greg Quinlan, founder of The Center for Garden State Families, strongly opposes the bill.
"This is a groomer's dream," he exclaims. "This is a predator's dream to be in a school with minor children, grooming them about sexual practices that no one should be participating in, and certainly no child or minor should be seeing, viewing or finding out about."
Quinlan explains that while the Act could not be challenged at the state level, there is hope of filing a lawsuit at the federal level.
"We will be able to file charges with the U.S. District Attorney's Office and then possible civil lawsuits," he tells AFN. "So, the promise of this becoming a legal matter exists, and it's a strong one."
Editor's note: Section on New Jersey bill added after story was originally posted.
