'It's not for arousal, but education': North Hunterdon library book debate recommences

CLINTON TOWNSHIP – The debate over a sexually explicit book in the North Hunterdon High School library refuses to die.

The debate boils down to a single question – which is more important, protecting the innocence of children or protecting the First Amendment rights of adolescents to read what they want to read?

For more than two hours at Tuesday's North Hunterdon-Voorhees Regional Board of Education meeting, members of the public told Board members where they stand on the question that has resurfaced in the school district.

However, that debate remains theoretical because, as Board President Glen Farbanish said at the beginning of the meeting, the district has not yet received a formal written request to begin the review process whether the book, "Let's Talk About It: The Teen's Guide to Sex, Relationships, and Being a Human," should be removed from the library.

A sophomore at the school summed up why the book should remain.

"It's not for arousal, but education," the student said.

Opponents of the book said they were in favor of "protecting the innocence of children."

At Tuesday's meeting, supporters of School Librarian Martha Hickson seemingly outnumbered those who want the book about teenage sexuality removed from the shelves.

Those against the book were careful saying they did not want the book "banned" but either "removed" or "restricted."

During the 2021-22 school year, the school district became embroiled in a controversy that drew national attention when some parents campaigned for five books dealing with sexuality to be pulled off library shelves.

The school board voted in 2022 to reject a resolution to ban the five books. All five volumes remain on the library's shelves.

However, at a November school board meeting, Eric Licwinko, who was involved in the previous effort to ban the five books, read from “Let's Talk About It.”

Weeks later, after the start of the new year, posts began to pop up on Facebook about the book Licwinko read at the school board meeting.

Then one morning Hickson opened an email with the subject "Just saying Hello" that began with New Year's greetings, she said.

But soon the message began referring to her with crude and lewd names.

That chain of events prompted supporters to rally behind Hickson who, during the first wave of the controversy, was personally subjected to hate mail, threats, nuisance vandalism and questions about her judgment and integrity.

Supporters of Hickson came to Tuesday's meeting dressed in red. Many were high school students; others were parents or recent graduates and some were fellow school librarians from across the state.

Judging by the number of speakers and the applause they received, those supporting Hickson outnumbered those who wanted the book removed from circulation.

Among those speaking against keeping the book was Republican Assemblyman Erik Petersen, a resident of the school district, who said the choice was a matter of "common societal decency."

He said school libraries should have standards like the "R" rating given to movies. He said the contents of the book "far exceeded" what is allowed in R-rated movies.

The conservative lawmaker also criticized those who say the book should be allowed to remain under First Amendment rights.

"They just don't want to have limits," he said. "They want our kids to see whatever they think is appropriate."

But others were more direct in their criticism. A Morris County resident said the book is a "how-to book" for pedophiles while others claimed the book was "pornographic" and giving it to minors was a violation of federal law, opening the possibility of a criminal conviction or lawsuits.

Licwinko told the Board that he came forward because he was the victim of sexual molestation when he was 7 years old.

He said the pictures in the book "triggered" him.

"If we put this in the hands of minors without control, these books can be used in an inappropriate manner," he said.

Among the supporters who spoke in favor of Hickson and the book were members of the New Jersey Association of School Librarians, Bridgewater-Raritan High School educator Steve Beatty, a vice president of the New Jersey Education Association and several students.

Their message focused on the dangers of banning the book.

"It doesn't end well," said one person who noted reactionary regimes begin by banning books.

A sophomore at the school said removing the book is "an attempt to limit our view of the world."

"We're high schoolers in a digital age," said another student. "We're going to find the worst of the worst on the Internet," adding there is "nothing going to stop people my age from being curious."

A High Bridge woman said, "the freedom to read is freedom for intellectual development" and the book's opponents are "afraid of students' freedom to think for themselves."

Another High Bridge woman said the book is "sex education for teenagers, not pornography."

The school board meeting was moved to the auditorium of North Hunterdon High School to accommodate the number of people who wanted to attend.

Farbanish, the board president, apologized for having to adjourn the previous meeting when the number of attendees violated occupancy rules.

"We're hoping we can do better tonight," he said.

Farbanish also said that Board committees will review the district's policy on how to handle threatening, obscene, profane or harassing emails sent to staffers.

He said that district will not "tolerate" such emails and police will be notified.

Email: mdeak@mycentraljersey.com

Mike Deak is a reporter for mycentraljersey.com. To get unlimited access to his articles on Somerset and Hunterdon counties, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: North Hunterdon-Voorhees NJ school library book debate endures