PA & Great Valley School Officials Want Out Of Library Lawsuit

PHILADELPHIA, PA — Gov. Tom Wolf, Attorney General Josh Shapiro and the Great Valley School District Monday called for the dismissal of a federal lawsuit pertaining to books with alleged sexually explicit materials in a high school library.

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.

U.S. District Judge Judge Nitza I. Quinones based in Philadelphia was asked to dismiss all 22 defendants in the lawsuit filed on behalf of her son.

Redman requested that five books be removed. They are “Tranric Sex”, “Gender Queer,” “Fun Home,” “PUSH,” and “All Boys are Not Blue.”She claims the books are inappropriate for high school students.

Attorney Brian R. Elias, who is representing the school district and board members, said there are no legal grounds for the lawsuit to proceed.

He said there are no factual allegations or legal citations to support the claims on behalf of her 16–year-old child being harmed.

Attorney Stephen R. Kovatis, who is representing Wolf and Shapiro, wrote that there is no basis for the governor or the attorney general to take action against a school district.

Redman lobbied for Wolf to remove the book, presenting the governor with large posters of some of the content in the books.

The attorney said the Commonwealth is protected under the 11th Amendment from private lawsuits in federal court.

Last week, Philadelphia lawyer Rufus A. Jennings asked the judge to dismiss Detective Patricia Boyle as a defendant in a civil lawsuit pertaining to alleged sexually explicit material in library books.

According to the lawsuit:

• Redman said that five books are obscene and displayed several dozen pages of the books as part of the lawsuit.
• One book, PUSH, she said is a graphic book about a child rape.
• Redman said she is oppose the graphic insertion of obscene graphic sexual content in stories that otherwise could help her minor child develop compassion for his peers.