EHS Library Advisory Council votes to remove “Gender Queer” from school library after parent challenge, Terwilliger Council votes to keep book about gender identity

BY AMBER THIBODAUX

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The book Gender Queer has been removed from Alachua County school libraries following a challenge by a parent on the grounds that it contains drawings and descriptions of sexual conduct. An elementary school Library Advisory Council also recently voted to retain the book It Feels Good to be Yourself: A Book About Gender Identity after a parent challenged it on the grounds that it tells young children they can select their gender.

Gender Queer

The Eastside High School Library Advisory Council, consisting of the members shown below, met on November 15 to consider a challenge submitted by Lauren DePaola, an Alachua County parent.

  • Leroy Williams, Eastside High School Principal
  • Dr. Jeffrey Rant, Guidance Counselor
  • Ms. Marianne McKey and Tammy Meyers, Media Specialists
  • Lamonica Davis, Teacher
  • John Alexander, Parent
  • Patty Duval, ACPS Library Media Service Specialist (Facilitator) 

Duval led off with a presentation outlining the process of challenging a book; she stated that there had been a question about DePaola’s standing to bring the challenge because she does not have a child in the district, but she said DePaola “is a resident of the county, and their residence is verified and documented.” DePaola also provided Alachua Chronicle with an October 24 email from Principal Williams that said, “The current address you previously mentioned has been confirmed.”

Duval went on to lay out the definitions in the statutes: “Pornography is defined as any picture, photograph, sculpture, motion picture, film, video, cassette, or similar visual representation, image of a person or a portion of the human body which depicts nudity or sexual conduct, sexual excitement, sexual battery, bestiality, sadomasochistic abuse, and which is harmful to minors… Harmful to minors is defined as–it must be–predominantly appeals to a prurient, shameful, or morbid interest, is patently offensive to the prevailing standards in the adult community as a whole, and is without serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value for minors.”

“All of the materials in our school libraries have literary value”

She continued, “That being said, based on the fact that all three of those criteria for harmful to minors must be met in order for a book to be considered pornographic, our library materials are in compliance with the selection criteria established by the State of Florida and are not considered pornography. Because we are protected under the harmful to minors clause, because at the very least, all of the materials in our school libraries have literary value.”

However, she said that under a new statute, a parent can challenge a book “if they proffer evidence that the material depicts or describes sexual conduct as defined in statute 847.001,” and she read a list of what can be considered “sexual conduct.”

“This text does include sexual conduct”

McKey said during the review that she would have voted to keep the book if the law hadn’t been revised to include “these specific definitions” of sexual conduct. “From the perspective of the media specialists here, we acknowledge that, given the revisions to the law… this text does include sexual conduct. We also believe that given the reviews and the data that is used to select this criteria, it does meet all of the selection criteria for Alachua County at our grade level, with our specific student population. If the law was not revised to include these specific definitions of sexual conduct, we would not move to remove this book,” McKey said.

McKey emphasized that she believed every book and resource in the school library, including Gender Queer, has “literary value” and therefore should remain on the shelves based on that criteria. 

In response to the removal of Gender Queer, DePaola said “I’m thankful the process laid out by the state of Florida has been successful in removing this pornographic book from the school library.”

A majority of the committee voted to remove the book, but Duval said the copy at Eastside was the only copy in district libraries, so no other libraries were affected by the removal.

WARNING – GRAPHIC SEXUAL CONTENT: Click here to see pages from Gender Queer.

It Feels Good to be Yourself: A Book About Gender Identity

During the November 7 school board meeting, Alachua County Education Association (ACEA) President Carmen Ward took a moment to praise the Library Advisory Council at Terwilliger Elementary for unanimously voting to retain a book in the library that was recently challenged for review. The book in question, titled It Feels Good to be Yourself: A Book About Gender Identity, is geared toward elementary-aged children and offers the following description on Amazon: 

“A picture book that introduces the concept of gender identity to the youngest reader from writer Theresa Thorn and illustrator Noah Grigni.

Some people are boys. Some people are girls. Some people are both, neither, or somewhere in between.

This sweet, straightforward exploration of gender identity will give children a fuller understanding of themselves and others. With child-friendly language and vibrant art, It Feels Good to Be Yourself provides young readers and parents alike with the vocabulary to discuss this important topic with sensitivity.”

During the agenda item set aside for teachers’ union representatives at the November 7 meeting, Ward said, “It was my privilege and honor to see a committee that was dealing with the challenged book situation at Terwilliger Elementary School today – and the book banning that was attempted by one parent … to challenge a book and have it banned for the entire district was thwarted today.”

“So this was a very positive thing in my perspective that all the educators at the table put student needs first. And student needs should always be guiding everything. We want our students to be successful, we have that mission together, and to have successful students, we must have successful teachers, we must have successful bus drivers, we must have the whole system working together for that success. So it was really, really positive to see a unanimous vote to keep a book available and uncensored for students in our district. So that was a really shining light,” she continued. 

Alachua Chronicle reached out to the parent who challenged the book in question, and the parent asked for anonymity but offered the following statement in response to Ward’s comments: “While Ms. Ward frames the situation as a thwarted attempt to ban a book, it’s important to clarify that concerned parents were simply engaging in their right to petition a review of books for adherence to selection criteria. Labeling this process as ‘book banning’ is intentionally disingenuous. It recklessly conflates genuine public censorship attempts and the legitimate review of educational materials provided to minors. Ms. Ward is intentionally attacking parents by discrediting their legitimate input in the educational process in an attempt to disenfranchise them from their right to voice concerns about the content provided to their children.”

In reference to the book in question, the parent added: “Telling children that they can select their gender as young as 3 years old at best is a lie; at worst it is psychological abuse. There are no long-term studies showing the effects of destabilizing one of the most fundamental biological categories among young children. This is a social experiment, and as the legal representative of my minor child, I do not consent.”

Parents are following process established by Alachua County Public Schools

The recent passage of Florida House Bill 1069, which governs what content is available in public school libraries and classrooms, has expanded parental rights by allowing parents to challenge any book or curriculum they believe violates the new state criteria. The legislation prohibits sexual orientation and gender identity education in schools from Pre-K to 8th grade.

The bill went into effect in July and also mandates that schools must remove any materials in classrooms or school libraries that contain sexual content as defined by the state. If a parent believes the content is improper for the grade level, inappropriate for the requirements of the student, or pornographic, they can request consideration for removal of the content or book.

Duval told us that each school’s Library Advisory Council consists of the following:

  • Principal
  • Media Specialist
  • Guidance Counselor
  • Faculty Member
  • Parent Representative

The principal appoints the faculty member and the parent, and the parents serve on an as-needed basis for this role. 

Any parent can volunteer to serve on a review challenge committee via the form found on the district website under Media and Instructional Materials, linked here.  

“Once a challenge has been made, the principal can choose from the pool of parents [who] have completed the form. If none of the parents are available at the time of the challenge meeting, I can provide the principal with a list of parents from other schools whose library has the same title,” Duval told us. 

Parents can also limit their child’s access to certain books or subject matter

Additionally, parents may manage their child’s media access levels at school via a process recently implemented by the school district. If a parent wishes to limit their child’s access to certain books or subject matter, they can fill out this form on the district website. A “Limited Access” level is described as “My student may check out books from the library media center, but there is content that I would like my student not to have access to in the library media center, including the classroom library.”

According to Duval, once a parent submits a Limited Access request, the school’s media specialist is notified. A note is placed on the student’s account that shows up when they check out a book. It is the responsibility of the media specialist to determine if the student’s selection is in line with the parent’s request. The media specialist is encouraged to reach out to the parent if further clarification is needed.

A parent may also choose “No Access,” which means the student is not permitted to check out any book from the library media center or use classroom library books.

How to initiate a book challenge

Any parent who wishes to request the removal of a school library book may do so by filling out this form located on the district website. Once the request has been received by the principal, a meeting of the school’s Library Advisory Council will be established. The meeting will be publicly noticed, but public comment will be prohibited during the meeting. The committee will review the request and make a recommendation for resolution. The principal will notify the requestor of the council’s recommendation.  If the objection is not resolved to the requestor’s satisfaction, the principal will then refer the requestor to a district-level curriculum supervisor.

  • When I was in school decades ago students had to get on waiting lists for the great Little House books or books by Beverly Cleary. And of course the Hardy Boys! Are they still read? My kids grew up with Goosebumps and Harry Potter books.

    • Actually, the American Library Association, whose 2022 President is a self proclaimed lesbian Marxist, renamed the Laura Ingalls Wilder Award because her books contained what is considered now “offensive language” yet they allow CRT and queer/gender inappropriate books on the shelves.

  • First, the book isn’t “banned.” It is permitted in a non-school, i.e. public library. It is withheld in school, from children who would be inappropriately indoctrinated, instead of being educated. The term and chaos of gender identity were invented by the radical left within this century.

    • An essential aspect of the new Florida law, and the procedures and standards applied to implement, is to formally include the young child’s parents in the decision about what the child reads. Mom and dad choose what is appropriate for the kid, not some arbitrary panel of school board members or staff. It’s a good law, complicated only because freedom of the press is America’s most precious right. No bans anywhere, the books still are widely available.

  • This should be banned throughout the entire SBAC system. But as we know, this is Leftist Alachua County where you have no rights as a straight person. Just saying!

    • I hated when the leftist alachua county police kicked in my door and took away my rights because I’m heterosexual.

  • Schools should focus on universal truths, the basics. Anything else is subjective, personal and should be left to the home. It’s up to parents to raise kids, not alone, but with freely accepted inputs from social sectors of their choosing. Not just the gov’t, politicians’ donors and their agendas.

  • ” If a parent wishes to limit their child’s access to certain books or subject matter, they can fill out this form on the district website.”

    Or, parents can choose to use Florida’s School Choice program.

    • A brief postscript;

      School districts often attribute blame to parents for disciplinary and academic problems in the schools and appeal to parents to become more involved in their kids’ education.

      However, to become ‘involved’ – in this circumstance – requires a bureaucratic paperwork/hearing process which circumnavigates common sense; if in doubt, don’t include it.

      The District may want to think about its ‘educating the parents’ approach and return to the task for which they were elected and hired.

  • I am opposed to the state ban on acknowledgement of the fact that gay and trans kids exist and should be protected. However, the 1st book mentioned includes a very graphic sex scene which I cannot believe a school librarian would say “OK” on if they had been made aware of it. A depiction of that act by heterosexuals should raise the same outrage if found in a school library. No doubt the vote in this matter reflected that, though they hid behind the state’s too easy process for banning books.

    I also object to the normalization of the term “queer”, which is the gay version of the “n word”, an historical slur adopted by some – certainly not all, read the very smart and interesting Andrew Sullivan on this – much as some blacks use the “n word”. Fine for those who wish to use it that way, but it is has no specific meaning and is intended to shock and or declare rebellion, not be informative. It should not be in general use across media and even in government, unlike non-incendiary terms like lesbian, transsexual, or homosexual. These describe specific individuals non-passionately, and by the way, groups who’s right to marriage and other rights are decided and for the better. The point in fact of that movement is that these are our sons, daughters, sisters, brothers, uncles, aunts, and part of us – not “queer”. Why trash that settled acceptance?

    • I disagree. If you are gay or queer, it is okay to say and use the word ‘queer’ you just shoudn’t say it with a hard R at the end.

  • This is why we no longer want to fund public schools.

    Yes, Playboy magazine also has good wine articles with “literary value,” but I don’t want it on my kid’s school bookshelf.

    Hard argue something that strings a few sentences together doesn’t have “literary value.” Mapplethorpe’s artwork has “artistic value,” but I don’t want it in my kid’s art class either.

  • The SBAC needs to stay in their lane and focus on reading, writing, & arithmetic…The GNVCC & ACCC need to stay in their lanes and focus on essential services…police, fire, parks, & roads. Time for Desantis to step in and limit these Marxist commies & their New World order agendas. “Liberalism is a mental disorder”…

  • A good day for parents, and a bad day for pedophiles and creepy child groomers that are obsessed with showing pornography to (other people’s) children. Sexually explicit material obviously has no place in a school library.

    The irony of the “It Feels Good to be Yourself” title of the second book is tragic. No one is “born in the wrong body”. If the people who pretend to care about trans people actually cared, they would help these people learn to love themselves as they are and stop fueling their mental illness.

  • Nothing new under the sun. When I was growing up transgenders were called “cross dressers”. I personally don’t have any objections to this behavior but…please don’t try to introduce children to your aberrant behaviors.

  • Children in Elementary school do not have the capability to decide their gender. They do not have capability to decide their bedtime, what to eat or drink, what they can watch on tv, where they’re allowed to go, what they’re allowed to do……the vast majority of decision making for this age range is the PARENT’S JOB….PERIOD!

  • Couldn’t agree more. You’re common sense and clarity are refreshing. Let kids be kids for as long as possible, their innocence will be gone soon enough without having books like these forced on them by the public schools.

  • I do empathize w/people that are truly that way, unfortunately, I think that a lot are just jumping on the welfare wagon and taking it for all they can get. I empathize and sympathize w/those that TRULY have a problem.

  • So this librarian says this first book has literary value? Would she say the same thing about a book which basically has an analogous message and shows a heterosexual blowjob scene? I seriously doubt it. Because it’s not really about literary merit.

  • I want to live where all of this isn’t the focus. Everyone do their part and live their lives…I can’t understand why this is an issue that must be discussed publicly..

    • Unfortunely it is not. I agree with you 100 percent but parents get shut down when they speak up on their kids education and what goes on in the schools. Now that state law has changed for the better everytime a parent raises a concern no matter if it is one to one with a administrator or at a school board meeting it becomes a public issue.

    • Because it’s happening in public schools. All across the country. By people like this librarian and union rep. THEY make it the focus.

  • I don’t understand how sexuality or gender needs to be in a program…Just why? Why can’t parents lead their kids?

  • Can the Board Member that wears a face turd please let everyone know ITS position on this ?

  • Only 49 percent of the students in Alachua County can read at a third grade level.

    After we have solved this problem perhaps we can deal with gender issues.

  • Such a deeply personal and individual FAMILY issue. I can’t believe the audacity of the public school system to take this territory as their own. There is no way I would send my kids to a school, run by people who are strangers to me, that claims a role in shaping my children’s sexual identity. People must be loud and clear on this issue.

  • >