In the Fairfax County School Board in Virginia, Karl Frisch, a newly elected member who won more than 65% of the vote, was sworn in on a stack of LGBT books (which have been banned for having content inappropriate for minors), instead of on a Bible.
I will faithfully and impartially discharge all the duties incumbent upon me as the Providence Magisterial District member to the Fairfax County School Board according to the best of my ability.
The Epoch Times reached out to Frisch about his decision to change the traditional oath. He responded that residents "safe and inclusive schools with exceptional, well-compensated educators."
Fairfax County residents want safe and inclusive schools with exceptional, well-compensated educators and equitable access to the rigorous academic and enrichment opportunities every student needs to succeed. I am grateful for the trust Providence District families have placed in me, and with tonight's Oath, I commit to standing strong for these values and advancing these priorities with my new and returning colleagues.
In addition, The Epoch Times reported that all of the books held by Frisch "include sexually graphic pictures of homosexual acts and descriptive sexual encounters between boys or between an adult and a minor."
Similar cases
This was not an isolated case. The newly appointed president of the Central Bucks School Board in Pennsylvania, Karen Smith, did the same. She was also sworn in on books that contain explicit content and are intended for minors. These include "Flamer," "All Boys Aren't Blue," and "Beyond Magenta" ("Flamer" is the second most banned book in the nation, according to the American Library Association). According to the outlet: "The book includes graphically detailed dialogues between male characters including minors about their genitalia, and illustrations of naked teenage boys."
