Banned Graphic Novels Reinstated At Main Line School Library

RADNOR TOWNSHIP, PA — The Radnor Township School District Board of Education Tuesday night approved the reinstatement of three graphic novels that were removed from the Radnor High School library after a parent filed complaints over their explicit content.

At a more than four-hour long meeting that also included budget discussions, the board addressed the issue of "Gender Queer" by Maia Kobabe, "Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic" by Alison Bechdel, and "Blankets" by Craig Thompson.

These publications were challenged by parent Michael Lake, who filed a Citizen's Request for Re-evaluation of Material's form, pursuant to Policy 144.1.

After Lake said the graphic novels contained "child pornography," an anonymous ad hoc committee voted 5-1 to remove the materials from the high school library, deeming them not age-appropriate for students, in late February.

At Tuesday's meeting, Radnor Township School District Board President Sarah Dunn said the district's solicitor said the materials legally do not constitute child pornography.

The news led to a large contingent of the Radnor Township School District community to decry the decision to remove the publications, which led the board to consider reinstating them at Tuesday's meeting.

When the two-hour discussion over the materials was over, the nine-member board voted 6-0, with three members — Lon Rosenblum, Clare Girton, and Liz Duffy — abstaining from the vote, to reinstate the graphic novels to the library.

A portion of those in attendance, including students, applauded when the vote tally was announced.

The abstentions largely stemmed from what happens with policy 144.1, which led to the materials being removed from the library, upon the reinstatement of materials removed under that policy.

"So if we vote today to put books back on the shelf, then ok, that's good," Girton said. "But then do we undermine what comes next?"

Duffy, who serves as the board's vice president, asked if the board should use their power to reinstate the graphic novels before addressing the policy that led to them being removed.

"It's just 'what comes first?' And that's what I've been struggling with," she said. "When we get a decision that we don't like and we overturn it, what's to prevent another board from doing that in the future?"

"A new board could undo all of this next year," board member Jannie Lau said. "That's why we have elections."

"A lot of people have said the policy is flawed," board member DJ Thornton said.

Board member Andrew Babson admitted he knew little about the policy, and since the issue of these materials was raised he became aware of its flaws.

"Those are the two main factors in my mind to push for a quick resolution to this," he said of the policy flaws and the community's response to the removal.

"I think we're going to look at the policy," board member Lydia Solomon said, "And I think it's a separate issue, to me, than putting the books back in the library."

That comment garnered applause from those in attendance.

"Until we change policy 144.1, in whatever fashion we might change it, we are subject to any book challenges," board member Susan Stern said.

Stern, who chairs the board's policy committee, committed to working in an "efficient and appropriate manner" to address the issue of policy 144.1.

"We all know she can be quite a taskmaster," Dunn said of Stern. "I don't think there is going to be any delay in getting this through policy. I think the delay will be genuinely because we're all having these types of conversations. But I think it's important we're having these conversations."

Dunn suggested briefly if a parent does not want their child to check out certain materials from the library that both the parent and student sign a form disallowing them from taking those materials out.

"Any high school student should be allowed to know what they're not allowed to do under their parents' rules," she said. "Whether or not they follow them, as we all know as parents, is a whole other issue."

It's unclear when the issue of policy 144.1 will be addressed, but Stern promised expedience and care in doing so.