To the Editor:

Last week, the Board of Education voted against the book ban in Newtown. This represented a significant step forward and in favor of our democratic process, where elected officials represent the will of the people, not the wishes of their party. It was a victory for our town, for our LGBTQ community, for our students, and for the First Amendment.

While I applaud the decision of the Board, I write this letter primarily in praise of the brave students who let their voices be heard, both at BOE meetings and preceding the vote in anti-book-banning rallies around town. Listening to these students, I was struck by their courage, resilience, and eloquence. Even during the most recent meeting when a parent confronted a group of students in the audience, these students remained unwavering and poised — a remarkable display of maturity.

This decision was an important and correct one, not only because of the materials it preserves in our school libraries, but the precedent it sets moving forward. I have no doubt that this is not the end of these attempts to ban materials from our libraries, but the beginning. As we move forward as a town and as a community, let us do so with kindness, love, and acceptance — not small-mindedness, bigotry, and fear.

Chris McGrady

Sandy Hook