Talk of removing book from the school library leads to a tense board meeting at Wantagh High School

Parents have demanded that a controversial book hitting on themes of sexual orientation and suicide be removed from the Wantagh High School library.

The outraged parents expressed their opinions during the final Board of Education meeting of the school year.

The book, “Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic Book,” which was published in 2006, is a graphic memoir by cartoonist Alison Bechdel. The book addresses themes of sexual orientation, gender roles, suicide, emotional abuse and dysfunctional family life.

The high school has received several formal complaints about the book, which first entered the school’s library in 2016. Wantagh resident Marilynne Rich, one of the parents calling for the its removal, questioned why the book was made available and asked about the school’s vetting process for library books.

“I’m not sure who’s giving (the school) the right to determine the maturity of my children,” Rich said. “My husband and I are the only two adults that can determine which faculty members are going to have a conversation with minor children on such adult matters in this book, including oral sex, homosexuality, pedophilia and suicide. The images from this book were flagged for violating community standards on Facebook, yet they are available to our children in the library.”

Carol-Ann Win-ans, Wantagh’s director of curriculum, said materials in the high school library are made available to students only on request, after they “have demonstrated their understanding of the context of the material and meet the level of maturity required.”

The book tells the story of the author Bechdel, a young gay woman’s childhood in rural Pennsylvania and her relationship with her closeted gay father, who she believes has committed suicide. The book states it contains alternate sexualities alternate gender, ideologies profanity, alcohol use, suicide commentary, inflammatory religious commentary, sexual activities and sexual nudity.

Christina Nicoletti, a Wantagh parent and librarian in the Copiague School District, supported parents’ right to protect their child from what they perceive to be threatening or harmful materials, but questioned the idea of books being harmful.

“You may not want your kids reading it, so might I suggest you not read it?” Nicoletti said. “Book banning and removing its access for all students means you are stepping into my role as a parent, a place you have no right to be. The people leading the book banning tend not to be the readers because readers don’t ban books. We don’t prevent others from enjoying them because reading is awesome.”

The Board of Education has policies that govern the selection of library materials and manage complaints about them. The district utilizes multiple journals and online databases backed by the American Library Association. The board stated that the district’s library collection is regularly evaluated to ensure it remains relevant and up to date, and library media specialists assess current materials, collect reader, staff and community feedback and identify areas in need of improvement.

“Any book banned for any reason takes the opportunity away from my child to read it,” parent Belinda Rodriguez said. “If there’s a book that I don’t want my daughter or son to read, whether it’s in Forest Lakes library or the high school’s library, I parent my child at my house and tell them not to take out this book. Everyone should be accepted for who they are and should have the right to be represented, whether on a Wantagh sports team, a Wantagh club and a book in a library.”

The book comes with a warning, which states it may contain content of an adult nature, including pictures and materials some viewers may find offensive, and aims the warning to readers under the age of 18.

“My only issue with this book is that it’s not for minors, and ninth, 10th, and 11th (graders) are all under 18,” Wantagh alumnus Lesley Molino said. “Half your kids are in 12th grade, under 18. Kids don’t need to see it. It is porn.”

“Fun Home” has earned several accolades and was a National Book Critics Circle Award Finalist, winner of the Stonewall Book Award, and was nominated for the GLAAD Media Award. As a musical theater piece, it was a finalist for the 2014 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, while winning the Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Musical, the New York Drama Critics’ Circle Award for Best Musical, and the Obie Award for Musical Theater.

“There’s lots of adult material that wins awards — that doesn’t mean we should be allowing our children access to it unfettered,” parent Gina Dignan said. “Some of us do read books, but that doesn’t mean they’re appropriate for our children to read. We should be protecting them, not giving them access to any filth they feel like looking at. Yes, they will have access to it everywhere else, but why are we in such a battle over protecting our children’s innocence? Do they not deserve it? It seems like it’s common sense, but I guess it’s not.”

As a result of the complaints about “Fun Home,” a formal review process has been initiated and a review committee consisting of administrators, teachers and parent representatives has been created. Once the committee agrees upon the review of the text and placement, the information will be shared with the superintendent.

“Everyone deserves to see themselves represented,” Nicoletti said. “I’m less concerned about what young adults may or may not be reading about and more concerned about what they’re doing. If “Fun Home” allows even one gay student to feel represented in our school, then I say it stays, because the library is for everyone. I don’t need you protecting my kids from a book. My kids need protection from intolerance and ignorance.”