WINCHESTER — A Frederick County Public Schools parent was escorted from a School Board meeting Tuesday evening after attempting to read a passage from a James Wood Middle School library book that contains a derogatory slur against gay people and other offensive language.
After telling School Board members that they would likely be “disgusted,” “appalled” and possibly “shocked” by what she was going to say, Christie Scarborough, a Stonewall District resident, began reading from “Flamer” by Mike Curato, a graphic novel that follows a boy named Aiden who, in the summer between middle and high school, experiences bullying while coming to terms with being gay.
School Board Chairman Edward “Scott” Sturdivant quickly lowered his gavel due to Scarborough’s use of foul language.
“You are out of order,” he said. “I’m asking you to stop it.”
Scarborough argued that she was reading from a book in the James Wood Middle School library, saying, “I can’t read a book you guys paid for here?”
After a brief exchange, Scarborough was escorted from the meeting by Frederick County Sheriff’s Office deputies at Sturdivant’s request.
Another woman then attempted to finish Scarborough’s comments. She said that “Flamer” was in her son’s school library, and asked if the School Board was going to remove it.
“That’s all I ask,” she said.
The woman declined to provide her name and magisterial district at the lectern, and Sturdivant ruled her out of order. Eventually, he asked her to leave the meeting as well.
During board member comments at the end of Tuesday’s meeting, Opequon District School Board representative Daryl Bell said that Scarborough was “bringing up a valid point.”
“It was the way she was bringing it up. If she has a concern about a book that’s in our schools, or any of you have a concern about a book in our schools, then you need to bring that to our attention. And there’s a process that’s in place to address those specific issues,” he said, referring to the division’s process regarding sexually explicit materials.
Red Bud District School Board representative Brian Erskine and School Board Vice Chair Dianna Klein also referred to that process during their comments.
A full list of library and classroom materials deemed sexually explicit, defined in the Virginia Code as “any description of or any picture, photograph, drawing, motion picture film, digital image or similar visual representation depicting sexual bestiality, a lewd exhibition of nudity, as nudity is defined in § 18.2-390, sexual excitement, sexual conduct or sadomasochistic abuse, as also defined in § 18.2-390, coprophilia, urophilia, or fetishism,” is available on FCPS’s website.
The division’s website also states that books cannot be deemed sexually explicit solely based on the sexual orientation of its characters.
Different forms allow parents to either request that a material be added to the division’s list of sexually explicit materials or limit their child’s access to such materials.
There is also a form that allows parents or guardians to request that materials be reconsidered, which can be found on the School Board’s website.
Shawnee District School Board representative Miles Adkins, who participated in Tuesday’s meeting remotely, expressed his disapproval at Scarborough being removed from the meeting.
“I don’t even know why we would have something like that in our library,” Adkins said. “But if we can have a book like that with the language that’s in it, if that is correct, why wouldn’t we want to hear that, and why would we stifle somebody’s free speech?”
Reached by phone Thursday, Scarborough, who also read from “Flamer” at the Frederick County Board of Supervisors meeting Wednesday night, said she feels that if school library books can contain profane or offensive language, then that language should also be allowed during public comments before the School Board.
The School Board’s current policy regarding public comments asks that speakers adhere to the FCPS student code of conduct when addressing the board, which bars the use of profanity or slurs against people based on their perceived race, ethnicity, color, national origin, citizenship, immigration status, weight, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation or disability. Disruptive behavior that interferes with the orderly conduct of the meeting is also prohibited.
“Any of the material that the kids have access to with these books should be allowed to be said at these School Board meetings,” Scarborough said. “So if what the kids are being provided and the School Board policy is in conflict, there needs to be a change.”
Scarborough also shared that she had a conversation with James Wood Middle School Principal Tara Woolever Thursday morning, and that Woolever informed her that “Flamer,” as well as two other books — “Speak” and “Shout,” both by Laurie Halse Anderson — have been removed from the school’s library.
The latter two, Scarborough said, had been removed a while ago, but were still listed as available on FCPS’s website until recently. “Flamer” was still listed as available on Thursday.
“She (Woolever) did tell me that she’s only been there for two years, she does not know who is responsible for those books being in the school, but that she is working on that,” Scarborough said, “and she’s also looking into all of their other books to see if there is even anything remotely close to being just explicit for the children.”
FCPS did not immediately confirm this information.
Scarborough said she plans on reading more library book passages at future School Board meetings, as she feels that the School Board’s process regarding sexually explicit materials isn’t sufficiently transparent.
“I think it’s important that taxpayers know exactly where Frederick County Public Schools spend their money,” she said, specifically regarding “really explicit books for the children.”
She added that she felt Sturdivant was not following through on his campaign promise of removing such materials from school libraries.
A book challenge by Sturdivant over Ellen Hopkins’ book “Crank” last summer was unsuccessful. Sturdivant also challenged two books that were eventually discovered to have been stolen or lost from school libraries, and he withdrew another challenge upon further research into the book’s content.
Sturdivant has, in the past, defended himself from criticisms over the lack of book removals since taking office, saying that he’s made the effort, but that he’s ultimately one vote out of seven on the board.
On being escorted from Tuesday’s School Board meeting, Scarborough, who was also asked to leave the board’s December meeting after using foul language during public comment, said she’s been encouraged by others to file a lawsuit, and that she intends on doing so.
Sturdivant said on Thursday that he was “following the advice of legal counsel” regarding Scarborough’s removal.
According to Common Sense Media, “Flamer” contains slurs and profanity, sexual language, some sexual content with no “sensitive areas” depicted and verbal bullying, as well as two depictions of assault.
The website also states that the climax of the story “involves the contemplation of death by suicide.”
Common Sense recommends “Flamer” for ages 15 and older, while the author’s website recommends it for ages 14 and older.
The book has received several honors, including the 2020 Lambda Literary Award for LGBTQ Young Adult, the 2021 Massachusetts Book Award for Young Adult. It was also named one of NPR’s top books of 2020.
The free speech nonprofit PEN America reported in 2022 that “Flamer,” published in 2020, was tied with Maia Kobabe’s “Gender Queer: A Memoir” as that fall’s most banned book. It also made the American Library Association’s list of the top 10 most challenged books of 2023, coming in at number five.
“ “” — Frederick County parent Christie Scarborough {related_content_uuid}c87f3da3-1f90-430e-850a-66f75ce2b4f1{/related_content_uuid}
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