Fairfax Students Challenge Library Policies During Banned Books Week

October 6, 2008

WEST SPRINGFIELD, Va. – Fairfax County high-school students challenged censorship in their school libraries today at a student-led news conference at West Springfield High School.

The students, representing more than 100 of their classmates who have donated books and materials on the topic of homosexuality to their school libraries during the last year, have had their donations rejected; students believe this was due to the books’ content. With the American Library Association’s Banned Books Week as a backdrop, students and parents asked school officials to reconsider their rejection of the materials in the name of fairness, and offered officials a new donation of approximately 100 books.

Today’s event is a year in the making. Students launched the True Tolerance project last year to counter the one-sided promotion of homosexuality in Fairfax County high schools, evidenced by the more than 300 pro-gay books currently offered by the county’s public high school libraries, which often paint Christianity in a negative light.

Aiming for balance, True Tolerance students donated 85 books last year that approach homosexuality from a Christian perspective. The school district responded to the donations by making the donation policy more stringent and applying unreasonable, inconsistent standards to guide book donations. Only one of the 13 schools where donations were made last year accepted the students’ gift, with other librarians saying the books were “too Christian” or “too one-sided.”

Students argue the law is on their side, citing county guidelines that state school libraries should support “the diverse interests, needs and viewpoints of the school community.” They also point to federal court and U.S. Supreme Court decisions that have repeatedly banned government-sponsored viewpoint discrimination in schools.

“This censorship is wrong. All we want is to have our views represented in a fair manner," said Liz Bognanno, a senior at West Springfield High School. "True tolerance means that we also have a seat at the table, and that students are free to decide what they believe on issues like homosexuality.”

The students have documentation that shows the school district welcomed homosexual advocacy groups to donate books, and that some advocacy groups have held book drives to benefit Fairfax County public high schools.

“If schools are going to open their doors to outside groups, it makes sense that they should provide the same opportunity to its own students,” said Cheryl King, whose daughter attends Woodson High School. "What's tolerant about welcoming one point of view but rejecting another?"

For more information, contact Monica Marti at (719) 548-5743 or culturalissues@family.org.