Parents win one in Fayetteville

Today’s Washington Times reports about how parents are becoming concerned about sexually explicit material in schools. Reporter Jon Ward includes this quote from me: "parents are beginning to take matters into their own hands and are looking for ways to collaborate with other like-minded parents to protect their kids." Later he noted: "He (Throckmorton) said he has heard from parents in Fayetteville, Ark.; Pleasant Valley, Iowa; and Toms River, N.J., who have found objectionable material in school libraries and are challenging their school boards to remove the books."

Speaking of Fayetteville...

Last night in Fayetteville, Arkansas, the school board voted 4-3 to remove three inappropriate books from the general circulation of the school libraries. I received a call from Laurie Taylor from Fayetteville describing the school board meeting where the board voted to remove the three books, Its Perfectly Normal, Teenage Guys Survival Guide, and Its So Amazing, from the general circulation section. To be viewed a parent must now give written permission.

Previous to the school board meeting and at Laurie’s request, I reviewed selections she supplied from these books. The books were available to children from middle school age on up. There are many things wrong with these books but among the most disturbing are recommendations for teenage boys to secure pornography to aid in sexual arousal and to fantasize about adults, including teachers. One of the books informed students that homosexuality was considered an exalted form of love by ancient civilizations. In my letter to the board and Mrs. Taylor, I noted that "arecent federal court case in Montgomery County Maryland makes such favoritism of political views questionable and could trigger a court action from parents who feel their children are being taught an ideological perspective as fact." Hint, hint. By the way, according to Mrs. Taylor, the ACLU sent a representative to the meeting supporting the books continued placement in the general circulation. Will the ACLU make a case out of this? We shall see.

All schools board members and school administrators should read the Montgomery County decision. Parents should too. Parents who are concerned about how sexuality is taught in schools are beginning make some noise. Four school board members had ears to hear last night in Fayetteville.

Stay tuned for more from Toms River and Pleasant Valley and maybe a town near you.