Why some North Hunterdon parents want certain LGBTQ books removed from the school library

CLINTON TWP. – The culture wars have come to Hunterdon County.

A group of parents came to the Sept. 28 meeting of the North Hunterdon Regional High School District Board of Education demanding that certain books with LGBTQ themes be removed from the shelves of the district library.

Saying they believe the books cause "divisiveness and trauma to the children," the parents called the novels "pornographic" and "perverse."

In addition, the parents called the district "immoral" and lacking in "decency."

"They (the books) are evil, wicked," one parent said at the meeting.

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The meeting was held two days after the start of national Banned Books Week. One parent also asked why Banned Book Week, from Sept. 26 to Oct. 2, was highlighted as an activity in the school.

Despite Board President Jessica Viotto opening the meeting by asking for civility, the parents were vehement in their attacks on the books, the library and librarian Martha Hickson.  

The North Hunterdon Regional High School District is comprised of two high schools — North Hunterdon and Voorhees — but only the North Hunterdon High School Media Center and its librarian was targeted.

In responding to the parents, Maren Smagala, the district's communications director, said the district has policies and regulations about the selection of library materials and how to file a complaint.

"We believe it is important to select books that showcase and represent our student body and the diversity in our country," Smagala said. "If anyone has a complaint about a book, we ask that they fill out a complaint form, and the superintendent or principal will then establish a review committee, as per policy, to review the materials that are being questioned."

Smagala said that after the board meeting, a committee was formed to review the books the parents criticized, though a final recommendation has not been made.

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Gina DeLusant of Lebanon Township likened two books — "Lawn Boy" by Jonathan Evison and "Gender Queer" by Maria Kobabe — to child pornography and promoting pedophilia. She read aloud passages from "Lawn Boy" that she deemed "graphic" and "pornographic."

DeLusant said she was upset that her 16-year-old son took out "Lawn Boy" from the school library and was praised for the choice by Hickson.

"Martha Hickson, our school librarian, remarked to my son as he was checking it out, 'I love that book and whoever wants to read it has very good taste,’" DeLusant said. "If I brought in a pornographic magazine to read to the children, I would likely be arrested and rightly so. I equate the material in these books to that inappropriate pornographic magazine.

"Explain to me how this perversion enriches or benefits the young minds of our students, or anyone for that matter. On the contrary, this amounts to an effort to groom our kids to make them more willing to participate in the heinous act described in these books …. We have entrusted the schools with bodies and minds of our children, and they have failed us." 

She also suggested several district officials and staff members should be held accountable for promoting child pornography.

"Sex offenders have no place in our schools," she said. "They need to step down, be investigated and charged accordingly."

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"Lawn Boy" and "Gender Queer" are novels that contain LGBTQ+ content and have been recognized for excellence by the American Library Association’s Alex Award.

Other books targeted by the parents included "Two Boys Kissing" by David Levithan, "This Book is Gay" by Juno Dawson and David Levithan, "Beyond Magenta" by Susan Kuklin, "Being Jazz" by Jazz Jennings, "Parrotfish" by Ellen Wittlinger, and "Fun Home" by Alison Bechdel. 

All the titles appear on the list of books banned in many school districts.

"They are basically encouraging the banned content," said one parent. "These books were banned for a very realistic and concerning reason and that they highlight racism, sexuality, homosexuality and pornography, drug abuse and other issues that have no place in a child's school."  

About nine parents spoke during the standing-room-only meeting and received applause after each comment. 

In the days after the meeting, a Facebook group launched a campaign against the librarian at nearby Alexandria Middle School for delivering Banned Books Week presentations. The Facebook posts linked to the North Hunterdon board meeting video.

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But not all the comments at the North Hunterdon meeting were negative.

Parent Kim Rodgers supported the district and school library for having diverse books and conversations allowing for "voices to be lifted up." 

"My eyes have been opened and continue to be opened," Rodgers said. "I encourage these types of conversations — hard conversations — and support the teachers to have what they need to have these conversations." 

A counter group of parents and community members, the "NH-V Intellectual Freedom Fighters" created a website to urge the board "to resist censorship and support its commitment to intellectual freedom and the First Amendment." The group is urging people to attend the Oct. 26 board meeting.

"These protesters appear to be working from a 'hit list,'" according to the NH-V Intellectual Freedom Fighters website, saying the protest was similar to ones in Texas, Virginia and Ohio.

Email: cmakin@gannettnj.com

Cheryl Makin is an award-winning features and education reporter for MyCentralJersey.com, part of the USA Today Network. Contact: Cmakin@gannettnj.com or @CherylMakin.