Frederick County’s School Board Chairman Edward “Scott” Sturdivant said at last week’s board meeting that he is still taking aim at certain books in the division’s libraries, which was one of his campaign promises.

“[L]et me assure you now. I will get those sexually explicit adult content books removed from our libraries if it’s the last thing that I ever do, and you can bank on that,” he said.

In an interview Monday, Sturdivant elaborated on which books he wants to remove. He said his list is based on a copy of one shared by former Back Creek Supervisor Shawn Graber at a Board of Supervisors meeting in July.

“There are over 100 pages here of books that are in our libraries and in our public schools that are nothing less than grooming,” Graber said at the time.

Sturdivant said he’s reviewing Graber’s list to see if the books are in Frederick County Public Schools’ libraries and whether he wants them removed.

“I would say there’s books on that list that I don’t personally agree with. But I’m not taking them out because I personally object to it,” Sturdivant said. “I’m getting rid of books that are sexually explicit and labeled as adult content.”

There are four main books that Sturdivant wants removed from school libraries: “A Court of Thorns and Roses” by Sarah J. Maas, “Crank” by Ellen Hopkins, “Lucky” by Alice Sebold and “On the bright side, I’m now the girlfriend of a sex god: further confessions of Georgia Nicolson” by Louise Rennison.

“Crank” is available in all three high school libraries in the county, according to an online catalog search, and “Lucky” is available at Millbrook High School.

FCPS’s online library system notes that both books contain sexually explicit content, which is defined in the Code of Virginia as “(i) any description of or (ii) any picture, photograph, drawing, motion picture film, digital image or similar visual representation depicting sexual bestiality, a lewd exhibition of nudity, as nudity is defined in § 18.2-390, sexual excitement, sexual conduct or sadomasochistic abuse, as also defined in § 18.2-390, coprophilia, urophilia, or fetishism.”

“A Court of Thorns and Roses” did not render results using FCPS’s catalog search tool. Sturdivant said he was told at Millbrook that the book was available at one point but was stolen. According to Common Sense Media, the book contains “gory battles, gruesome injuries, and violent death, plus lots of romantic longing, raging passion, and sex-drenched menace.”

The list Sturdivant received from Graber has these three books rated NC-17, a rating typically applied to films deemed unsuitable for children under age 17. The NC-17 rating did not come from FCPS.

The fourth book is available at the middle school level in FCPS. Graber’s list does not have this title marked as NC-17, however Sturdivant expressed that he finds it inappropriate for students in that age group to have access to a book that refers to someone as a “sex god.”

FCPS’s current policy provides a parental opt out option for materials deemed sexually explicit. Through an online form, parents can either block access to all books and instructional materials that fall under this category or select the specific materials they wish to restrict.

On Monday, Sturdivant said he thinks there should be an amendment to the division’s policy that gives the School Board authority to “say we want those books out of there.” He also said that division Superintendent George Hummer has since told him that staff is “working on the process of getting those books removed.”

FCPS spokesperson Tara Helkowski said Monday that the division did not have any comment at the time.

“I’m not out to ban books, as I have been labeled a book banner,” Sturdivant said. “... I am out to make sure that sexually explicit adult content is not being given to our school children in public libraries. So that is all I’m asking for, which is to remove those certain books that have that NC-17 rating and get them out of our schools.”

Library books have ignited debate across the country within the past two years, with the literature-focused nonprofit PEN America reporting a 33% increase in book removals between the 2021-22 and 2022-23 school years. Axios reported last fall that 356 books had been challenged across Virginia in 2023. Locally, Samuels Public Library in Front Royal last year had 75% of its funding temporarily withheld after a group of around 90 library patrons filed almost 800 forms requesting that about 134 books be removed from the library. The library’s funding was ultimately restored.