A frustrated father in Beaufort County, South Carolina, called the district’s school board a bunch of “chickens” and chucked bags of chicken feed at the members over their failure to remove “sexually explicit books” from the schools’ libraries.
“I’ve appealed to you all repeatedly, and only a few of you have recognized we do not need to keep sexually explicit books in our schools,” David Cook told the Beaufort County School District’s (BCSD) school board on June 27.
He then reached into his backpack and pulled out the only appropriate food required, in his estimation, for the members’ thoughts and tossed them on the stage.
“There’s your chicken feed,” Cook stated.
(Video: YouTube)
Cook began by presenting the board with an impact study from the American College of Pediatricians (ACP) on the effects of pornography on children.
“There’s a big difference between a book ban and eliminating access to this material,” Cook told the board. “These books haven’t been properly reviewed or they would’ve never been in our libraries, nor have they been approved by the State Board of Education.”
It is unclear as to which books Cook was referring, however “analysis of BCSD’s website suggests that nearly 100 of its library books have been challenged so far this year,” ABC4 reported. “Challenged titles include ‘All Boys Aren’t Blue’ and ‘Flamer,’ both of which have been removed from schools nationwide.”
“A few weeks ago I referred to a study on the impact of pornography on children published by the American College of Pediatricians from June of 2016,” Cook continued. “Please read it. The scientific study is proof of the negative impact of pornography on children.”
“Use it to justify recalling any books that you’ve sent back into our libraries,” he implored the board. “It is within your power to refer to the study.”
“The availability and use of pornography has become almost ubiquitous among adults and adolescents,” according to the ACP study. “Consumption of pornography is associated with many negative emotional, psychological, and physical health outcomes. These include increased rates of depression, anxiety, acting out and violent behavior, younger age of sexual debut, sexual promiscuity, increased risk of teen pregnancy, and a distorted view of relationships between men and women. For adults, pornography results in an increased likelihood of divorce which is also harmful to children.”
And that is when Cook told the board that he had “appealed to you all repeatedly.”
“Choosing to exploit children by giving them access to pornography in our schools,” said Cook, “is inconsistent with almost every belief system in the world.”
“The books that are in our schools appeal to the prurient interest of the students,” he said.
The father blasted the district for turning the concerns of parents into a media circus.
“The district and Dr. Rodriguez have made this into a joke, inviting ’60 Minutes’ and inviting a production company to film what’s happening,” Cook stated. “You as a board are being humiliated by the very people you hired. They’re intentionally embarrassing the district by inviting these companies to record board meetings and book review committees.”
“District staff consider this to be a victory,” he said. “I and many others consider this an embarrassment to our community.”
And that’s when, like those in Chile who were “upset with the military leaders” for being too cowardly “to take action,” Cook reached into his backpack and tossed the bags of chicken feed onto the stage.
“I give you this gift as a way to demonstrate mine and many others’ opinion of your lack of action,” Cook stated. “Chicken. Too afraid. Matter of fact, your behavior gives chickens a bad name.”
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Melissa Fine is the former executive editor of Casino Player, Strictly Slots, and Poker
Digest magazines. She is a UCLA graduate, news junkie, and dedicated Stargate SG-
1 fan. Melissa currently lives with her dog and two cats in a tiny town in the Sierra
Nevada foothills.
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