There is no more important responsibility of a school board than protecting children and maintaining the trust of families. That is why I supported the decision to remove the book “Flamer” from school libraries.

Some have called it censorship. Others have claimed it was an attack on the LGBTQ community, or that the board acted improperly. Let me be clear: Those claims are false.

This decision was not about politics or identity. It was about standards, accountability and parental rights.

Harford County Public Schools has clear procedures, developed with extensive and diverse public input, that govern how instructional and library materials are selected. They require that content be evaluated for age appropriateness. They prohibit “sexual nudity,” “excessive descriptions of sexual aggression” and “disrespectful portrayals of characters as sexual objects.” They also direct us to weigh profanity.

By its own publisher’s recommendation, “Flamer” is designed for grades 10 through 12. Yet it was sitting in middle school libraries, accessible to children as young as 10 or 11. That placement directly violated our standards. Enforcing those standards is not censorship. It is responsible governance.

Contrary to what some have suggested, sexual orientation never entered the discussion. The issue was the book’s graphic sexual references and vulgarities. If “Flamer” were a film, it would unquestionably be rated R. The Motion Picture Association assigns that rating when a movie contains more than two uses of the F-word. “Flamer” contains over 50 foul words, along with other explicit content no parent would expect their sixth-grader to stumble across in school.

Here’s the analogy: If your 11-year-old tried to walk into a theater to see an R-rated film, they’d be turned away at the door unless you gave permission. The ticket taker is there to stop them. In our schools, that safeguard was missing. The librarian, in this case, became the ticket taker — only they waved kids through. That’s a broken process.

And it cuts to the core issue: Who decides when a child is ready for adult content? The answer is simple. Parents. Not the government, not a librarian, not even the school system. Parents alone have the right to make that choice for their child.

This is not about silencing voices or removing diverse perspectives. I oppose censorship. It is about applying standards consistently and restoring trust in public education. Confidence in K-12 schools is already at historic lows. Ignoring our own rules erodes that trust even further.

This process has also highlighted areas where our procedures can be improved. I look forward to working with the board and administration to implement those updates, ensuring our standards are applied more effectively and transparently. But I will not apologize for protecting children, respecting parents and demanding accountability.

At the same time, with the start of school right around the corner, we cannot allow this single issue to overshadow the larger story of progress in Harford County Public Schools.

Our graduation rate has climbed to its highest level in more than a decade. Literacy initiatives are helping more students reach grade-level reading goals. And last week, we announced a record number of Advanced Placement exams taken, with results at all-time highs. These are real wins for our students, teachers, and community.

Yes, books will continue to be part of the conversation. But our mission is much bigger. It is about preparing every child for success in life. That means keeping our classrooms and our libraries both educational and age-appropriate.

That is not censorship. That is accountability. And it is respect for the rights of parents — the people most responsible for their children’s well-being.

Aaron Poynton is president of the Harford County Board of Education.