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Residents criticize removal of award-winning novel; board told Fluvanna now on PEN America's index
Summary
At the Dec. 11 Fluvanna County Public Schools board meeting, residents criticized the removal of the award-winning novel What Girls Are Made Of from school library shelves and urged the board to reconsider committee decisions; administrators said the Learning Resource Review Committee followed policy and notified the complainant in writing.
Several residents told the Fluvanna County Public Schools board on Dec. 11 that the division's removal of an award-winning novel from general library shelves amounted to a ban and damaged the district's reputation.
Regina Jocelyn, a Cunningham District resident, said the book had been removed from general access and that the action led to Fluvanna's inclusion on PEN America's index of places that ban books. "Fluvanna County is now officially listed on PEN America's index as a place that bans books," Jocelyn told the board during the first public-comment period.
Why it matters: The complaint and subsequent review were processed under the division's Learning Resources Committee and the policies that govern advisory committees and complaint response. Community members said the removal narrows students' access to materials and risks a broader pattern of challenges; committee members and staff said the review followed established policy.
Superintendent Dr. Gregg told the board the committee worked under policies KLB and BCF, that the panel's decisions were filed and that the complainant had been notified in writing. He said the committee also made recommendations for how complaints are handled going forward and offered to bring those recommendations back for board consideration.
Ashley Crocker, a Fork Union District resident, criticized the process and warned against further removals. "Book bans don't stop at a single title. They metastasize like a cancer," Crocker said, arguing the committee's decision could set a precedent for future challenges.
Board members asked questions about process and authority. One member noted that the board could act outside a committee's recommendation but recommended using the appeal process established in policy. Several board members expressed personal opposition to censorship while also recognizing the committee's hours of work.
What's next: Board members discussed revisiting the committee's recommendations in January when more members are present and suggested clarifying the appeal process. The superintendent offered to return with the committee's recommended procedural changes for further discussion.
Sources: Public-comment remarks by Regina Jocelyn and Ashley Crocker; superintendent report on Learning Resource Review Committee and references to policies KLB and BCF.
