The National Coalition Against Censorship has written to Madison County School Board in Madison, Virginia, to express our concern with recent district policy changes requiring books that include “explicit sexual content” to be removed even if they have substantial educational value for students. It’s our understanding that this policy has already led to the removal of over 20 books from school libraries.
Books that may have isolated passages of sexual content can nevertheless be extremely valuable for students. Therefore, rather than imposing a blanket ban on these books, the district should trust their professional educators to review the books and determine whether their value to students outweighs concerns about sexual content.
We urge the district to amend its policy to ensure that worthwhile books remain available on library shelves.
Please read our full letter to the Madison County School Board here. Click here for a full-screen view: