A report by Virginia’s Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission reveals that conservative activists, particularly in Hanover County, have removed numerous books from public school libraries, including titles on medical knowledge, sexual health, racism, and LGBTQ+ issues. Hanover accounted for 36% of statewide book removals, with 125 titles banned between 2020 and 2025. This censorship reflects efforts by right-wing groups, aligned with Governor Youngkin’s tenure, to control students’ learning, undermining parents’ rights. The movement targets diverse and prize-winning literature, aiming to erase inclusion and historical truth. Critics warn this censorship threatens democratic values and resembles authoritarian book banning.
According to a new report by a state commission on banned books in Virginia schools, Hanover County Public Schools removed the book “Medical Discoveries: Medical Breakthroughs and the People Who Developed Them” from libraries sometime between July 2020 and March 2025.
Censored, too, was a book entitled “Sexual health information for teens: health tips about sexual development,” described by its publisher as “basic consumer health information for teens about puberty, sexuality, reproductive health, contraception, and disease prevention.””
Likewise jettisoned were copies of “Encyclopedia of the Human Body,” “The Way We Work: Getting to Know the Amazing Human Body,” and “The Medical Advisor: The Complete Guide to Alternative and Conventional Treatments.”
The conservative library review movement in Virginia’s public schools, which has galvanized during the tenure of Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin, purports to be about protecting parents’ rights to know what their children read. The July report by Virginia’s Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC) put the lie to that claim.
Book banners in schools want to dictate what students can learn in their classrooms and from their libraries, regardless of what individual parents and guardians believe. No greater violation of adults’ child-rearing choices exists than the moral arbitration right-wing extremists hope heap on them.
JLARC found that 63% of Virginia public schools removed no books from their libraries. That good news was tempered by the fact that one in three had removed at least one book. But the real bad news is that the public-school book ban movement is just getting up to speed, as holier-than-you evangelical Christians try to take over school boards across the country. We’ve seen it in Pennsylvania, Florida, and other states. As many of those types of people gain positions of power in the administration of President Donald Trump, violations of parents’ First Amendment rights by radical theocrats seem likely to accelerate.
Hanover County, which lies about 30 miles north of Richmond, serves as a cautionary tale. Hanover schools are governed by a conservative majority and the school board is appointed, not elected like most school districts in the state. The JLARC report revealed that Hanover accounted for 36% of all “book removal actions” in the state. Hanover removed 125 titles from its schools from July 2020 until March 2025, the report found.
This is the last step in a progression that begins with challenging content in library books, then pulling them from shelves and requiring guardian consent to check them out, and finally, removing them from libraries entirely.
Letting political and religious ideologues control children’s reading choices leads to censoring their exposure to prize-winning literature and reflects obvious prejudices against books about racism and LGBTQ+ issues. It sacrifices scientific knowledge to faith and, in some cases, ignorance. Hanover proves that.
The conservative attack on diversity, equity and inclusion – all fundamental American values – will lead to a literal whitewash of U.S. history and doesn’t serve anyone who believes that those who don’t learn from history are doomed to repeat it.
Censorship to shape politics and culture like what is happening in Hanover often finds its natural conclusion in symbolic or actual book burnings, like those that famously fired up Hitler’s power in Germany.
Banned books in Hanover don’t just include books about gender or sexual identity. The list also includes literary classics by Nobel Laureate Toni Morrison, Booker Prize winner Maragaret Atwood, and National Book Award winner Kurt Vonnegut.
For would-be book banners, a single sex scene in hundreds of pages or a suggestion of white racism now serves as justification for exclusion from a school library.
As that continues, taboos grow. Hanover County dumped “The Freedom Writers Diary.” The book tells the story of a California teacher who taught students about the Holocaust by making them read and write about “The Diary of Anne Frank.”
To get an idea of how far-gone Hanover is, the county Board of Supervisors removed references to school library censorship from a certificate it gave a Hanover student who won a national Girl Scout award. Kate Lindley received a “Freedom to Read” award from the Girl Scouts for establishing a website and a series of “Banned Book Nooks” in the county where students could read books the school board had removed from libraries.
As she accepted her certificate from the Board of Supervisors, Lindley showed more class than the governing body.
“You have shown the world that you are afraid to call something what it is, be that a banned book or a deselected one,” she told the board’s conservative majority. “Thank you for this recognition.”
What the rest of us must recognize and resist is the assault on our rights by people who, without our consent, would deprive Virginia kids of access to books like “Jesus Land: A Memoir.” A New York Times bestseller, it tells the true story of a 16-year-old white girl and her Black adopted brother trying to survive a brutal, violent fundamentalist upbringing. It could be that Hanover County banned the book because it does not cast Christian fundamentalism in the light that evangelicals want it seen.
That is the polar opposite of parents’ rights.
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Virginia Mercury is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Virginia Mercury maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Samantha Willis for questions: info@virginiamercury.com.
Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.
Political Bias Rating: Left-Leaning
This content critiques conservative-led book banning efforts in Virginia schools, framing them as an attack on intellectual freedom, diversity, and inclusion. It highlights concerns about censorship driven by right-wing and evangelical influences, portraying these actions as harmful to education and parental rights. The language and perspective align with a left-leaning viewpoint that opposes conservative cultural and political agendas related to education and free speech.
www.thecentersquare.com – By Esther Wickham | The Center Square – (The Center Square – ) 2025-08-25 18:15:00
The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) found George Mason University (GMU) violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act by implementing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies favoring race in hiring and promotions. OCR’s probe, prompted by faculty complaints, concluded GMU’s leadership under President Gregory Washington promoted discriminatory practices. OCR proposed a Resolution Agreement requiring GMU to commit publicly to nondiscrimination and a personal apology from Washington. The GMU Board of Visitors is reviewing the findings, but Washington’s attorney rejected OCR’s conclusions, citing flawed investigation methods and denying discrimination. GMU must comply by September 1.
(The Center Square) — The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights announced George Mason University violated federal law by hiring and promoting staff based on race and other characteristics.
In July, OCR launched an investigation into GMU due to multiple complaints filed by professors alleging that university leadership had adopted unlawful diversity, equity and inclusion policies from 2020 that give preferential treatment to prospective and current faculty, the department said in a press release.
Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 “prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, and national origin in education programs and activities receiving federal funding. Institutions that are found in violation of Title VI can lose federal funds.”
OCR notified GMU President Gregory Washington that under his leadership, the Fairfax, Virginia-based university violated Title VI by supporting DEI practices and policies.
“In 2020, University President Gregory Washington called for expunging the so-called ‘racist vestiges’ from GMU’s campus. Without a hint of self-awareness, President Washington then waged a university-wide campaign to implement unlawful DEI policies that intentionally discriminate on the basis of race,” said Acting Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Craig Trainor. “Despite this unfortunate chapter in Mason’s history, the University now has the opportunity to come into compliance with federal civil rights laws by entering into a Resolution Agreement with the Office for Civil Rights.”
OCR has issued a proposed Resolution Agreement to GMU to resolve the civil rights laws violations.
The department’s agreement requires GMU to publicly commit to nondiscrimination in hiring and promotion, including a personal apology from the president for promoting unlawful discriminatory practices.
The school’s Board of Visitors said Friday it was reviewing the steps outlined in the resolution and will “continue to respond fully and cooperatively to all inquiries from the Department of Education, the Department of Justice and the U.S. House of Representatives and evaluate the evidence that comes to light,” the board said in a statement on Friday. “Our sole focus is our fiduciary duty to serve the best interests of the University and the people of the Commonwealth of Virginia.”
But on Monday, Washington rejected the Department of Education’s demands.
In a 10-page letter to GMU’s board on Monday, Washington’s attorney, Douglas Gansler, alleged that OCR cut corners and only interviewed two university deans, Inside Higher Ed reports.
“To be clear, per OCR’s own findings, no job applicant has been discriminated against by GMU, nor has OCR attempted to name someone who has been discriminated against by GMU in any context. Therefore, it is a legal fiction for OCR to even assert or claim that there has been a Title VI or Title IX violation here,” Gansler wrote.
Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.
Political Bias Rating: Center-Right
The article primarily reports on the findings and actions of the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights regarding George Mason University’s alleged violations of federal law related to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies. While it includes statements from both the OCR and the university’s leadership, the language used—such as quoting the OCR’s strong criticism of GMU’s DEI efforts and highlighting the university president’s rejection of the findings—frames DEI policies in a negative light. This framing, along with the focus on alleged unlawful discrimination against non-minority groups, aligns with a center-right perspective that is often critical of DEI initiatives. The article does not merely neutrally report the facts but subtly emphasizes the controversy around DEI, suggesting a center-right ideological stance rather than a purely neutral or balanced report.
www.youtube.com – NBC4 Washington – 2025-08-25 09:28:12
SUMMARY: As summer ends, students and teachers at Raymond Elementary in D.C. prepare excitedly for the new school year. The school boasts a brand-new playground and courtyard, with dedicated staff like Miss Tracee Robinson, a second-grade teacher known for her “Not Like Us” rap parody. Teacher Alexandria Henderson has a DonorsChoose wishlist totaling over $1,100, including carpets, headphones, and snacks. Thanks to Pepco’s $1,100 donation, her wishlist is fully funded. Principal Miss Hubbard and the community express gratitude as the school gears up for Monday’s first day, celebrating support from NBC4, Telemundo 44, and corporate partners.
News4’s Molette Green helps get Raymond Elementary hyped for school with a longtime teacher’s rap and a big donation for supplies.
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NBC4 Washington / WRC-TV is the No. 1 broadcast television station and the home of the most-watched local news in Washington, D.C. The station leads the market in providing timely and breaking news and information in text, video and graphics across more than 15 platforms including NBCWashington.com, the NBC4 app, NBC4 streaming news channel, newsletters, and social media.
virginiamercury.com – Charlotte Rene Woods, Nathaniel Cline – 2025-08-25 04:29:00
Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin has ordered a state police investigation into allegations from a conservative blog that Fairfax County Public Schools helped underage girls obtain abortions in 2021 without parental consent, potentially violating state law. The claims have become a key Republican talking point ahead of elections, with GOP gubernatorial candidate Winsome Earle-Sears emphasizing parental rights. The investigation’s outcome remains uncertain and may not conclude before Election Day. Fairfax schools and officials have pledged cooperation but cannot comment further. The controversy echoes past political battles over parental rights in education and intersects with ongoing efforts to enshrine reproductive rights in Virginia’s constitution.
by Charlotte Rene Woods and Nathaniel Cline, Virginia Mercury August 25, 2025
Gov. Glenn Youngkin has ordered state police to investigate explosive allegations from a conservative blog that Fairfax County Public Schools officials helped multiple underage girls obtain abortions in 2021 — a probe whose findings may not surface before Election Day but could still sway voters in the court of public opinion.
Virginia law requires minors to obtain either parental consent or a successful court petition to undergo the procedure. Such records are also exempt from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act.
The Mercury asked the Fairfax County Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court whether any petitions were filed at all in 2021 and how many have been filed in subsequent years, which they did not provide.
Still, the possibility that a public school broke state law and bypassed parents’ consent rights is quickly becoming a political talking point for Republican candidates this year.
‘Gift that keeps on giving’
Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, who is running for governor, speaks to a crowd at an American Legion office in Chesterfield County on Aug. 14, 2025. (Photo by Charlotte Rene Woods/Virginia Mercury)
Against the backdrop of an ongoing effort to enshrine reproductive rights into Virginia’s constitution, Republican gubernatorial nominee Winsome Earle-Sears has seized on the allegations.
At a recent campaign event in Chesterfield County, she welcomed the story’s circulation in the news cycle.
“I don’t know if you also saw what’s happening in Northern Virginia — it’s just a gift that keeps on giving,” Earle-Sears said as the crowd laughed.
It cheered after she added: “Parents. Still. Matter.”
Political analyst Bob Holsworth said the controversy echoes of Youngkin’s successful 2021 campaign, when allegations of a sexual assault in a Loudoun County school bathroom sparked national furor over transgender students’ use of restrooms.
Investigations and legal proceedings extended well beyond the campaign, but by then “Parents for Youngkin” signs and “parents matter” chants had become staples of his rallies. Youngkin went on to win the governorship, and Republicans flipped the House of Delegates for a term.
“Interestingly, the target audience is not voters in Fairfax and Loudoun,” Holsworth said of the Democratic strongholds, “but Republicans elsewhere in the commonwealth.”
The allegations first surfaced in WC Dispatch, an Ohio-based conservative blog run by independent investigative journalist Walter Curt Jr. His father, Walter Curt Sr., is a Youngkin appointee to the Virginia State Council of Higher Education and has donated thousands of dollars to both Youngkin and Earle-Sears. Curt Jr. told Virginia Scope that his familiar ties don’t affect his reporting.
Holsworth suggested that GOP campaigns are aiming to “get these issues aired on Fox News so they can deliver a message across Virginia in a way that Democrats can’t.”
That’s because the claim itself — whether ultimately proven or false — is already enough to stoke concerns among some voters about public schools encroaching on parental rights. Defending parental oversight in K-12 education been a consistent Republican theme in Virginia politics.
If the allegation proves true, Earle-Sears has vowed accountability.
“Your underage daughter can’t get an aspirin without your permission,” she wrote on X on Aug. 19. “Yet a Virginia school may have taken a young girl for an abortion, in secret, using your tax dollars. If true, it’s monstrous, and there will be consequences.”
The legal wait-and-see
Gov. Glenn Youngkin and Sen. Siobhan Dunnavant, R-Henrico, hold a “Parents Matter” discussion at a Henrico County elementary school. (Graham Moomaw/Virginia Mercury)
Pending the outcome of the state police investigation, any responsibility to prosecute would fall to Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano, who has declined to comment.
Carl Tobias, a law professor at the University of Richmond, noted that the timeline for an investigation is uncertain. While the number of people involved doesn’t appear large he said, the allegation dates back four years —a factor that could complicate evidence gathering and examination.
Tobias added that Republicans could “make a lot of political hay of it” heading into the elections, especially since Fairfax’s commonwealth’s attorney has been a frequent target of Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares.
Miyares, who is up for reelection this year, has long pushed for changes in state law that would allow the state to intervene in local prosecutions and has repeatedly attacked Descano as being too lenient.
A potential prosecution arising from the Fairfax abortion allegation could even spill into the next gubernatorial term.
Democratic gubernatorial nominee Abigail Spanberger is also watching closely. Her campaign said in an email to The Mercury that she “will be monitoring the status of the Virginia State Police’s investigation and will support appropriate action to uphold Virginia law.”
The campaign also highlighted Spanberger’s perspective as a mother of three young girls who attend public school, adding: “She believes that decisions about a child’s health and safety should always be made between them and their parents.”
Fairfax vs. everyone else
Beyond the locality’s prosecutor, Fairfax County Public Schools has become a lightning rod for criticism from parents as well as state and federal leaders.
Among the most polarizing decisions: overhauling admissions at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology to promote greater diversity, and resisting statewide transgender policies that would have required schools to out transgender students or restrict pronoun use.
The division is also arranging a security detail for Superintendent Michelle Reid.
After the abortion allegations surfaced, Reid wrote to the school community that the conduct described “would be unacceptable” in the district.
“I want to stress that at no time would the situation as described in these allegations be acceptable in Fairfax County Public Schools,” Reid said.
The school district has also stated that it will “fully cooperate” with the investigation but cannot comment further while it is ongoing.
Reproductive laws in campaigns
Reproductive-rights supporters watch as lawmakers debate a proposed constitutional amendment to protect abortion access on Jan. 21, 2025. (Photo by Charlotte Rene Woods/Virginia Mercury)
Beyond Earle-Sears’ bid for governor and the lieutenant governor and attorney general races, all 100 House of Delegates seats are up for election this year.
Looming over those contests is an ongoing effort to enshrine reproductive rights — including abortion — into the state’s constitution. The measure must pass the legislature again next year before appearing on a statewide ballot for voter approval or rejection.
While every Republican in the General Assembly voted against the proposal this year, they first attempted to add language reflecting existing state law on minors’ access to abortion. Democrats rejected that effort, pointing out that a U.S. Supreme Court case also affirms parental consent under the 14th Amendment.
Even so, the possibility that someone may have broken the law in Fairfax is “alarming,” said Sen. Jennifer Boysko, D-Fairfax, who is carrying the Senate version of the reproductive rights amendment.
“We should all be deeply concerned anytime anyone says they have been forced, misled or coerced into life-changing decisions about their reproductive health,” she said.
While Boysko did not specifically address the amendment in her comments, she added that she is confident the investigation will “shed light on the facts of the case.”
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Virginia Mercury is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Virginia Mercury maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Samantha Willis for questions: info@virginiamercury.com.
Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.
Political Bias Rating: Center-Right
The content presents a detailed account of a politically charged issue involving abortion rights and parental consent in Virginia, highlighting perspectives primarily from Republican figures and conservative sources while also including responses from Democrats. The focus on Republican strategies, conservative media, and parental rights themes, alongside balanced reporting on Democratic reactions and legal context, suggests a center-right leaning. The article does not overtly endorse one side but emphasizes Republican political messaging and concerns, reflecting a moderate conservative viewpoint.
