‘Throw those books in a fire’: Virginia conservative school board members call for book burnings

Two Spotsylvania County, Virginia School Board members declared they want books in local school libraries burned. On Monday in a unanimous 6-0 vote the board ordered any books housed by the school, including online material, that contain "sexually explicit" content, to be removed immediately.

No guidelines or professional oversight of what would be considered "sexually explicit" – much less age-appropriate content – were given.

"I think we should throw those books in a fire," said school board member Rabih Abuismail, according to The Free Lance-Star.

Fellow board member Kirk Twigg went even further, saying he wanted to "see the books before we burn them so we can identify within our community that we are eradicating this bad stuff."

The Spotsylvania school board elections are technically non-partisan, but an NCRM review of both board member's online activity shows they have been supported by Republican groups or have donated to conservatives. Abuismail also interned for two Republicans, including right-wing extremist (former) U.S. Rep. Dave Brat.

The board's vote came after one parent complained about "LGBTQIA" fiction available on a school library app. The paper described the mother as being "alarmed."

One book was singled out, "33 Snowfish," a Publisher's Weekly "best book" recommended for ages 15 and up.

Abuismail during Monday's meeting attacked the schools saying they "would rather have our kids reading gay pornography than about Christ."