Anti-censorship group urges Accomack schools to revise challenged book policy

ACCOMAC, Va. (WAVY) — The National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC) is urging Accomack County Public Schools to revise its policy for responding to challenged books.

“The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” and “To Kill a Mockingbird” were temporarily suspended on November 29, after a parent complained about the novels’ use of offensive racial slurs. School policy, listed here under “KLB,” dictated the books be temporarily removed from circulation following the complaint.

The school district announced last week that the books would be immediately returned to school library shelves.

The NCAC had sent a letter to school officials, demanding that they reverse their decision about the suspension of the books. After the Accomack County School Board voted to permanently reinstate the two novels, the group praised the decision.

Now, NCAC is recommending the district pursue an “innocent until proven guilty” approach to future book challenges.

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