In a Ketchikan School Board meeting that focused on a massive budget shortfall, the Board also voted to keep a book in the high school library.
Superintendent Michael Robbins had already accepted the recommendation of a library review committee to retain the book “Red Hood” by Elana Arnold. But district policy allows instructional material challenges to then go before the School Board for a final say.
“Red Hood” is a 2020 novel that bills itself as “A dark, engrossing, blood-drenched tale of the familiar threats to female power — and one girl’s journey to regain it.”
Local resident Deborah Simon challenged the book. The School Board heard a challenge from Simon back in January of the book “Flamer” by Mike Curato, and voted to retain it. Simon also challenged those two books in the public library last year, requesting they be moved from the teen section to the adult section. The library board voted down that challenge in January.
Three community members spoke in favor of the book at the April 24 School Board meeting, with only Simon herself speaking against it.
In her appeal, Simon challenged the reasoning of the district’s library review committee, questioning their assertion that because high schoolers are engaging in sexual activity, there is value in them having access to literature about the realities of sexuality.
“The age of consent in the state of Alaska is 16. Sex with a minor under age 16 is statutory rape,” Simon said at the meeting. “The multiple and graphically descriptive sexual scenes in this book are therefore, at best, inappropriate for those students under age 16.”
School Board President Stephen Bradford pointed out that the age of consent in Alaska generally doesn’t apply to two underage partners unless there is a wide age difference between them. (The Alaska Bar Association offers some simple explanations about the age of consent.)
The School Board ultimately sided with the Superintendent, voting unanimously to uphold his decision in retaining the book.
At the end of the meeting though, Vice President Keenan Sanderson voiced support for public discourse. He said it’s important for the School Board to continue to welcome community members who wish to bring forward concerns about educational material.
