Harford County schools seek community members to review challenged library books

Harford County Public Schools is seeking community members to join a book review committee following last year's controversy over books available in school libraries.

"Trying to prevent all children from having access to reading materials does not seem the appropriate way to handle your concerns for your child," said Delane Lewis, president of Together We Will Harford County.

Applications are now open for a new committee whose members may be randomly selected to review library books submitted for reconsideration.

HCPS said in a Facebook post that those selected to review a book "will attend training, read the book in question, and must be available for one or more meetings to discuss the book."

You can apply here.

Controversy over 'Flamer'

With the new school year set to begin Aug. 31, some Harford County parents say students should have the right to read what they choose.

"One of the best things about books is that it exposes us to other ideas, other people's life experiences, the whole gamut of things," Lewis said. "And that is the beauty of books. And I think that we should not look to, you know, minimize or restrict access to that."

Lewis made a similar argument last year on behalf of Together We Will Harford County following controversy over the book "Flamer," which author Mike Curato says is about navigating friendships, dealing with bullies and self-discovery.

"A lot of people who ban 'Flamer' don't talk about how the book is about suicidal ideation and prevention," Curato said last October. "That's why I made this book, because I know that there are kids out there right now who are going through exactly what I went through in 1995."

What the committee is seeking

As the new school year approaches, Lewis said it is important to give the committee — made up of one teacher, one HCPS administrator, one librarian, two parents, two community members and two high school students — the authority to make the decisions it was selected to make.

"The committee itself is made up of educational professionals, librarians, teachers, but also parents, community members, and students. So, it's a very wide range of inputs and perspectives, and I think that is an appropriate way to address these questions when they come up," Lewis said.

The committee also existed last year and voted to keep "Flamer" in school libraries. That decision was later overturned by the county school board following complaints from parents, including Suzie Scott, chair of Moms for Liberty Harford County.

"There's just no room for sexually explicit and vulgar materials in the school library," Scott said in July.

Moms for Liberty released a statement at the time saying, "Challenging the placement of obscene materials in school libraries is not censorship or banning. It is a reasonable demand to prevent children from being exposed to age-inappropriate materials."

Moms for Liberty could not be reached for comment Tuesday.

Ultimately, "Flamer" was returned to school library shelves following a decision by the Maryland State Board of Education.

The deadline to apply to serve on the committee is Sept. 2. The opportunity is open to any community member, not just HCPS parents.