“I said ‘burn it’” MSB Library Committee recommends removal of book

During the August 12 meeting of the Matanuska-Susitna Borough (MSB) Library Citizens’ Advisory Committee, the members voted to remove the young adult novel "Identical" by Ellen Hopkins from MSB public library shelves.

"Identical” is a Young Adult bestseller about 16-year-old identical twin daughters, the daughters of a district court judge father and politician mother whose seemingly picture-perfect lives hide deep and dark secrets. The book does hit some disturbing and adult themes including sexual abuse, eating disorders, cutting, and substance use disorders.

The Library Citizens’ Advisory Committee (LCAC) voted 5-2 to recommend that "Identical" be removed from circulation, with the two members voting to recommend the book be moved from the "Young Adult" section to the "Adult" section.

LCAC member Aaron Malone read the Alaska state statute regarding the distribution of pornographic materials the said that libraries and librarians checking the book out should be referred for prosecution.

“So this is a criminal act in distributing this material to the public and libraries and I would think that maybe the attorney should spend some time looking at the criminal activists distributing this pornography and maybe refer the librarians to the state prosecutor for prosecution.”

MSB attorney Nick Spiropoulos said that his office does not consider the book illegal under state law because placing a book with indecent material on shelves is not identified as a crime under the statute, but rather it is how the book is distributed.

“You have to possess it and intentionally deliver it to someone, or intentionally attempt to deliver it to someone.”

He said that if this book violated Alaska law to the point where it was so clear, then he doesn’t have an explanation for why somebody hasn’t been charged and arrested and convicted.

“If your conviction is that this book violates Alaska law, you’re free to make that recommendation to the Director, or the score sheets. If the position of the board is, ‘well it’s illegal so we can just stop talking about it. My office has not determined that.”

“This is not a resource book…It’s a fiction book that has no resources in it, no value in my opinion, no value added,” said Michelle Dempsey, who said that the book had traumatic event after traumatic event, and that the characters are young people who experience every horrible thing a person could experience and feel every possible emotion a person could experience, “but it’s basically smut for young people with no redeeming value in this whatsoever.”

She went on to say that the book is not nonsense, that the events that take place in the book are real and actually happen to people. “The book is a testimony actually,” she said, then said that she was upset that her tax dollars are used to put something like this in school and public libraries. “It’s lewd in every possible category.”

LCAC Chairman Chad Scott said his biggest complaint about the book is the criminal behavior depicted within it and a lack of coping mechanisms in the story, even though he heard others say that the book might have been helpful if they’d been in similar situations.

“One of the biggest lies that we've heard in the process of this is that, ‘Well, if only I would have had this book when I went through this, this would have really helped me…And other than commiserating with your misery, this shows no actual statements or principles to guide into healing. There's no healthy coping mechanism.”

The Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District LCAC previously reviewed the same book back in February 8, 2024 and recommended the book be removed from the school library system.

The MSBSD Board voted to remand the book to the Administration for a decision, who then determined that the book be returned to all nine high schools, four middle schools and a correspondence homeschool program libraries.

When discussion moved to whether to recommend total removal of the book, removal from the Young Adult section, or to leave it on the shelves, one committee member, Sally Pollen, said she chose to remove the book, but would also add in an option of "other" included on the LCAC book review scorecard.

“I put ‘remove the book from the library,’ but it gives you an option of ‘other,’ and I said, ‘burn it,’” committee member Sally Pollen said during the vote.

When asked by a committee member why the book, which she asserted clearly violated the Alaska statute for pornography, could be put back on the shelves for “young children,” Spiropoulos reminded the committee that their role is to advise.

The borough's community development director will make the final decision about whether the book will remain on shelves. The library committee will next consider "Red Hood" by Elana K. Arnold during a public meeting scheduled for September 9 at the MSB Chambers.