Cobb continues the book review process and withdraws more sexually explicit books from schools

As part of his ongoing commitment to transparency and student safety, Superintendent Chris Ragsdale updated the Cobb County School District board and community about the district’s ongoing book review process. While media centers routinely update their catalogs, the superintendent confirmed that six additional books were removed because they contained sexually explicit material that was not suitable for full access by students.

The Superintendent’s full remarks from the Board of Education afternoon meeting on October 17, 2024 are included below the video.

“Again, as you previously instructed me to do, I am informing the board that we are withdrawing six additional books from general circulation in our district’s media centers. After review, these books were determined to contain sexually explicit and graphic content that is inappropriate for children in public schools.

I know it’s election season, and at times like this, truth is often considered an acceptable loss if it gets more votes. As with most things political, I mostly ignore it. But in the last month it has reached a fever pitch, with a number of people saying things that are not only untrue, but that they know to be untrue. I want to make it clear.

First, I hate having to constantly repeat what I need to say next. Those who oppose this removal also apparently hate it because they keep complaining about me repeating the scope and focus of the district’s removal. This is not a “book ban.” Those spreading this lie don’t want me to remind you that this is an incredibly targeted takedown based solely on not allowing children full access to sexually explicit and graphic material. If you want me to stop reminding everyone, stop telling the truth and I won’t have to correct it. I respect that you have a different opinion than me, but to quote Patrick Moynihan: You are entitled to your own opinion, but not your own facts. Secondly, this is not about “nothing”.

The suggestion of this dismisses the deep-rooted concerns of a large number of Cobb County citizens. While I respect everyone’s right to an opinion, it is unreasonable to dismiss the concerns of parents, educators and community members who do not want their children to be exposed to offensive, vulgar and sexually explicit materials while attending school in Cobb County visit. In my experience, parents – regardless of where they are on the political spectrum – do not want us to use the authority and resources of schools to advance the political or social agenda of others, especially if they do not agree with their parents’ social and religious beliefs Family is compatible. Whether activists like it or not, our Supreme Court has recognized that one of our most fundamental rights as Americans is the right of parents and families to raise their children in their faith. Likewise, most educators do not want to be on the front lines of culture wars, forced to use their classrooms and instructional time to promote a social activist agenda that has nothing to do with teaching.

The third lie is that these are books by gay authors or with gay characters or authors of certain ethnicities. That’s not it. This is not “the education department that cares about LGBTQ children, teachers and families,” as a Cobb politician claimed this week. People who say that are lying to you. In total, even with the titles I will mention tonight, the total is thirty-two books out of more than a million. These million-plus works are incredibly broad and represent a range of experiences and people. However, they do not contain sexually explicit and graphic content that is unsuitable for children.

Fourth, people who compare this to restrictions on works generally considered literature are lying to you. One person recently publicly suggested that our targeted removal of sexually explicit material was akin to the removal of “Those That Bother the Nightingale.” That’s not true. The only materials we will remove from general distribution are materials containing offensive, vulgar and/or sexually explicit language and graphic images that are not appropriate for delivery to children in a public school media center. In an example I had to use before, if these books were made into movies as they are actually written, they would be rated at least R and some would be NC-17. I have to add the criterion of “as actually written” because critics will no doubt say, “Hey, they made it into a movie and it was PG-13.” Yes – and they were edited from the book. It would be illegal to make multiple films that contained graphic depictions of sex between minors. Just listen to the language of those who oppose the removal of these works. At no time will you state that these books do not contain offensive, vulgar, or sexually explicit or graphic language. And that’s what this is about. This is not a broader value judgment about the themes or characters in the books. Some of the books may have themes that would be appropriate for children; However, since the author and publisher have decided to add offensive, vulgar and sexually explicit language affecting minors, it is not appropriate to give children unrestricted access to them in a school public media center. I remember a public commentator providing a summary of one of the books saying it was great, about acceptance and other virtues. Unfortunately, she failed to mention that they involved graphic depictions of sexual acts between minors – including encouraging those that were non-consensual.

As I have stated many times, I believe that those who want children to have full access to these materials simply have not read them and have no idea what is contained in them. As I have asked repeatedly, please read these works before criticizing their removal. More than once I’ve had someone say, “I’m against banning books,” read one of the books we’re removing, and then say, “I had no idea what was in that book.” If you read those books If you read it and then decide that children should be given full access to offensive, vulgar or sexually explicit language, then you have a right to that opinion. But please give an INFORMED opinion.

There is widespread concern about the presence of offensive, vulgar and sexually explicit materials in our schools. Over the past six months, there has been a parade of different speakers applauding the removal of these materials. They represent different voices, experiences, backgrounds, ethnicities and religions. They share the concern that they do not want their children to have unrestricted access to sexually explicit material at school. I have been informed that the concern appears to be so great that someone appears to have created a website where parents and others can check whether books aimed at children contain sexually explicit and graphic drawings and images. The website is – Booksinschools.com. This is not a CCSD website and I only took a quick look at it; However, it seemed a fair representation of some of the worrying language we found in books for children.

Prior to COVID-19, the Board ensured that we provided school choice options to all Cobb parents. Cobb’s school choice program continues to be one of the most sought-after programs we offer.

During COVID-19, you have ensured that we do not make personal health or instructional decisions for children. Cobb’s parents made vaccine, mask and instructional decisions that were best for their children.

In the wake of COVID-19, you have ensured that we provide choice for students who are ready to enter the workforce after graduation. The recently opened Cobb Innovation and Technology Academy has become another quality option for high school students ready to earn while they learn.

And now, as activists seek to force social debate into every classroom, you’ve made it clear that certain decisions should be made by families, not educators. At a Cobb school, media centers and classrooms that do NOT provide unrestricted access to offensive, vulgar and/or sexually explicit content are the norm.

Protecting children from sexually explicit content is not only the best and only appropriate decision – I also believe it protects decisions that should be made by parents at home. Here again, our courts have repeatedly recognized that some decisions are the responsibility of parents, not schools or the state.

Today I’m announcing the removal of six additional books that contain sexually explicit or graphic content inappropriate for children:

• Summer by Owen Todd
• Happier than not
• This book is gay
• We know it was you
• The sun and its flowers
• City of saints and thieves

The titles of all 32 books that were removed are available on our district website.

Why? Because we want you to search for the books yourself – whether online, in your local bookstore or in a public library – and decide whether your child should read them at home. No matter what decision you make, our board has made me responsible for leading your children’s education while you decide how to raise your family. We will continue to focus on this education – a focus that will ensure that the education we offer is not only the best in the Atlanta area, but is consistently recognized as one of the best in the country.”

The six books removed on October 17 include:

• Summer by Owen Todd
• Happier than not
• This book is gay
• We know it was you
• The sun and its flowers
• City of saints and thieves

As Superintendent Ragsdale explained, the six books mentioned above were removed because they contained explicit sexual content. Previously, the book review process resulted in the removal of 26 books that contained sexually explicit or graphic content that was inappropriate for students to access in school.

The 26 books previously removed include:

• A court of wings and doom
• A court of thorns and roses
• A court of fog and anger
• A court of frost and starlight
• A court of silver flames
• Iron fire
• Laid
• crank
• Tricks
• Press
• milk and honey
• It starts with us
• The infinite moment of us
• Vacancy
• Identical
• Boys are not blue
• Julia takes a breath
• Monday doesn’t come
• City of thieves
• Me, Earl and the dying girl
• Flamer
• Cover
• It ends with us
• The Perks of Being a Wallflower
• Happy
• Thirteen reasons why