Detective Wants Out Of Great Valley Library Book Federal Lawsuit

PHILADELPHIA, PA —An East Whiteland Township detective does not have the authority to determine what books are permitted in the Great Valley School District library, an attorney said in a request to dismiss a federal lawsuit.

Philadelphia lawyer Rufus A. Jennings asked U.S. District Judge Judge Nitza I. Quinones to dismiss Detective Patricia Boyle as a defendant in a civil lawsuit pertaining to alleged sexually explicit material in library books.

Fenicia Redman, the mother of a 16-year-old, representing herself filed a federal lawsuit accusing the district of refusing to removed sexually explicit book and violating her First Amendment right by removing her from a school board meeting.

The detective is one of 22 defendants named as a defendant in the lawsuit.

According to the lawsuit, Redman met with Doyle on Dec. 6, 2021, requesting that criminal charges be filed relating to the five books that Redman deemed inappropriate.

Redman requested that five books be removed. They are “Tranric Sex”, “Gender Queer,” “Fun Home,” “PUSH,” and “All Boys are Not Blue.”

Chester County District Attorney’s office reviewed the matter and did not file criminal charges against the district.

Jennings said that a detective is not a proper defendant in the lawsuit.

According to the lawsuit:

• Redman asked police to show the District Attorney Deb Ryan’s staff boards with enlarged pages from the books as new evidence of criminal acts.
• Two parents accompanied Redman to the meeting with police, also expressing concern about the content in the books.
• Police contacted the district attorney’s office and were later advised that the content in the books did not meet the threshold of criminal activity.