The following letter has been received for publication in The Newtown Bee:

This is an open letter to education supporters, book lovers, lifelong learners, upholders of the First Amendment, and all of my parent friends who assuredly believe nothing like book banning could ever happen in Newtown. This is a letter to neighbors who are not typically “political,” who believe what’s right always wins out in the end, who feel confident a Board of Education in Connecticut in the year 2023 would never limit our children’s access to books, of all things. Your voice is needed now more than ever because once books are removed from our library shelves, the quality of our school system that brought many of you to Newtown will be irrevocably changed.

This letter is not intended to persuade anyone who subscribes to the belief that the singular goal of our dedicated professional school staff is to indoctrinate. I am not writing to those who have labeled award-winning YA graphic novels “pornography.” If you have commented online suggesting librarians are “groomers” and those who call for the Board to be transparent and ethical are whiny, your views are shaped by an ideology into which I have no interest wading.

Some parents consider Flamer to be in poor taste or think their children are not mature enough for the content. It appears, though, that this genuine concern has been stoked by national organizations who are fostering mistrust in our educational system. These books were not checked out from the NHS library. Parents did not stumble across kids reading them. No student unwittingly picked up the book, flipped to a panel, and expressed emotional damage from what he saw.

I am troubled by a pattern I’ve noticed of divorcing words from their meanings. Some Board members have proposed we stop using words like “diversity” and “equity” to promote concepts like diversity and equity because the words themselves are polarizing and partisan. These same Board members are now arguing we should not use the word “ban,” as its polarizing nature shuts down rational discourse. But legal precedent establishes that book banning occurs when government officials remove books from library shelves, and this is exactly what a vote against the Special Committee is poised to do. As a Board member, if you are uncomfortable with the term “book banning,” you should also be uncomfortable with voting against the unanimous decision by professionals who did their due diligence and deemed these books appropriate for our public high school library.

Running for public office is a thankless job, and I believe what motivates most people to do so is a deep desire to serve their community; however, allowing one person’s idea of morality and decency to govern access for all sets a dangerous precedent. Please send an email to the Board of Education and show up at their meeting on May 16 in support of our children’s freedom to read.

Sayward Parsons

Sandy Hook