#but cool

“I swore never to be silent whenever and wherever human beings endure suffering and humiliation,” that quote read. “We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.”

A principal told the librarian to remove that quote, concerned it violated the policy, the Bucks County Herald reported. He was later allowed to replace it following public outcry.

“This is America,” Smith said about that incident. “We were founded on principles of freedom: the freedom to express ourselves, the freedom of ideas. Students have rights, and our community values that. They also respect the professionalism of our librarians.”

Other books in Smith’s stack had been flagged for removal under the now-suspended book review policy. They included The Bluest Eye, a story of childhood abuse by author Toni Morrison, and All Boys Aren’t Blue, a memoir by LGBTQ activist George M. Johnson. One of the books, Lily and Dunkin,seemed to have been flagged because it has a transgender character, not because it contains any graphic sexual language, Smith said.

Fox News and other conservative news outlets were quick to note one book in the stack, Flamer, a graphic novel that tells the story of a boy who is bullied at summer camp because of gay stereotypes, because it contains descriptions of sex and depictions of nudity.

Flamer was on the American Library Association’s list of most banned books in 2022. Smith said she became aware of the book when she attended a librarian conference and spoke to a non-binary Texas student who said reading it “saved their life” because it made them feel less alone.

“I was kind of stunned and speechless hearing them say that,” Smith said. “Those are very powerful words.”

Smith believes it’s important for students to recognize their own experiences in books. While Flamer may help students experiencing harassment for their sexuality, The Bluest Eye may help teens recognize and confront experiences with sexual assault.

It’s understandable that some parents may not want their children to read some materials for religious or other reasons, Smith said. When she is approached with such concerns, Smith said she assures constituents that the books in question are only available to older students and that parents can individually flag materials they don’t want their children to check out.

“I totally support parents,” Smith said. “If there are parents who have concerns about a book, then the mechanism exists for them to express that concern and to prevent their own child from reading that book. But they shouldn’t be allowed to prevent all kids from reading it.”

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