'Controversial' Book Spurs School Board To Appeal State's Decision

BEL AIR, MD ? The Harford County Board of Education has appealed the state board of education's decision to reverse the ban on a controversial book.

Last week, the Maryland State Board of Education decided to overturn the county's decision to remove the book "Flamer" from middle and high school libraries, paving the way for the book to remain at libraries. But now Harford County is seeking to block that, reports WBAL.

The county school board had voted to ban the book during a closed-door session in June after a parent appealed a school district committee's approval of the book, Patch previously reported.

"This was the first formal appeal under the newly finalized book review procedure ? a process nearly two years in the making, developed with input from staff, board members and members of the public," Harford County Board of Education President Aaron Poynton said in a statement this summer. "The decision we made will likely set a precedent for future challenges, and we recognize the importance of clarity."

The state Board of Education recommended that Harford County schools update its evaluation procedures to "ensure transparency, provide opportunities for public participation and handle future reconsideration matters," according to CBS News.

The novel at the center of this controversy is about a teenage boy who "navigates friendships, deals with bullies and spends time with Elias (a boy he can't stop thinking about)," according to the author. The main character, Aiden Navarro, is away at camp and about to enter high school when he "finds himself on a path of self-discovery and acceptance."