Here's what we know about Central Bucks first outside library book challenge
The first outside book challenge in the Central Bucks School District under its controversial library materials policy has targeted a 2008 young adult book whose themes include child abuse and rape.
A Buckingham resident identified as Shannon Harris submitted the challenge paperwork for “Living Dead Girl” by Elizabeth Scott, during the district’s contentious school board meeting Tuesday night.
At the board meeting, Harris said the book is about pedophilia, which she considers a violation of the sexual content and nudity restrictions under the new policy. The book is available in Central Bucks West and Central Bucks South high school libraries, according to the district’s library catalog.
At the meeting, Harris identified the book as among the 68 titles in Central Bucks School District targeted by Woke-Pa, which describes its mission as “working to reclaim our schools from activists promoting harmful agendas.”
The organization lists among its concerns with “Living Dead Girl,” content that includes depictions of “child abuse, explicit sexual activities including sexual assault and battery and sexual nudity.”
The book is about a main character named “Alice” who was kidnapped at 10 by a violent sexual predator and murderer who keeps her captive for five years where she is abused including raped daily. When she turns 15, her captor tells “Alice” he wants her to find her replacement.
The district lists one copy of “Living Dead Girl,” as in Central Bucks West and 39 copies at Central Bucks South. As of Wednesday, most copies were listed as available, three copies as “lost,” and two copies overdue.
A Central Bucks spokesman confirmed Wednesday that paperwork was submitted Tuesday night for the district’s first external book challenge, and the processes described in the administrative regulations for the policy will be launched.
The district previously stated challenged books will remain on the shelves during the review process.
Under the policy a new review committee will be created for the challenged book, which includes the district’s library coordinator and language arts coordinator; the superintendent also has sole discretion over who else serves on the outside challenge committees.
The review committee has a 60-day deadline for producing a final report after a challenge is filed, which would be March 10; the policy allows granting a 30-day extension.
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More on CBSD's internal book reviewCentral Bucks committee removed challenged books from school libraries for review
Last month the district confirmed its administration initiated an internal review of five book titles for appropriateness under the library policy; there is no timeline for when the review will be completed since the district considers internal reviews outside the policy regulations.
In comments during the Tuesday meeting, Harris defended the recent actions of the Republican-majority school school board and chastised the three Democratic members as spreading lies to rile up the community.
“We were just wanting a review of books with sexually explicit material or ones that contain profane words,” Harris said. “How do you not understand that this community wants to uphold a moral standard for our students.”
Harris added that the district has not banned any books under the policy, and she expressed surprise that the three Democrats did not join efforts in “removing these books,” claiming they contain language that is “racist, bigoted and anti-feminist.”
“We shouldn’t be educating or reinforcing bad language or obscene materials in our schools.”
More on the CBSD library book policyConservative group involved in Central Bucks library regulations some fear as defacto book ban
This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: Central Bucks gets challenge to library book, first test on new policy
