Parents Crowd Efland Cheeks Gym About Controversial Book

An emotional crowd filled a gymnasium at Efland-Cheeks Elementary School to sound off about a third-grade teacher and a book he read to students.

The controversy surrounds a book called “King & King,” which was read by teacher Omar Currie. The theme of the book is a homosexual king’s quest for love and ends with two princes kissing.

Currie says he decided to read “King & King” when he heard a student use the word “gay” in a derogatory way to a classmate. Several days later a parent, who does not have a student in Currie’s class, showed up to the school to complain.

Now Currie, who is about to complete his second year at Efland-Cheeks, is thinking about resigning. But during last night’s hearing, he thanked his supporters to a standing ovation.

“In the past two weeks, I have stood on principle,” said Currie. “But I have gone out of my way to protect the 24 students who call me teacher. From the very start, this has been my focus. They are my babies. They are who are important. And I have a message for them: you must know my decision to read ‘King & King’ was wholeheartedly out of my love for you. I share your dreams and hopes for the future. Even though the times are rough today, your ability to explore the full potential of your future became brighter.”

Parent Lisa Baptist said parents should have been notified before Currie read “King & King” to students.

“The most offending thing I saw in that book at the end was were the two kings kissing,” said Baptist to applause. “How many of your students are going to be on the playground repeating what they saw in that book? Then what are you going to do? You’re going to have a real problem on your hands then. You talk about bullying? Read a different book concerning bullying. There are other ways. There is no need to be saying this book contains bullying issues. That’s a farce.”

Jay Kennett, the Pastor of the Hillsborough United Church of Christ, praised Currie for teaching tolerance.

“We have children in our community who ‘King & King’ represents what they see in their family,” said Kennett. “Often, they don’t go out in the world and see their family represented in literature or in the books they read in school, or in the community that surrounds them. If there’s only one family who ‘King & King’ represents their family, it is worth reading that to the children of the classroom.”

Other speakers against the book were more combative. Rodney Davis claimed that many of the Currie’s supporters don’t have children who attend Efland-Cheeks. He accused Currie and assistant principal Meg Goodhand, who gave Currie a copy of the book, of breaking school policy.

“Tolerance is a one-way street,” said Davis, who was later asked to leave the meeting. “It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that the only bullying that’s going on in this school is by two teachers. You broke the policy. These are my children! These are not your children! What gives you the right to tell me what they can listen to and what they can hear in our school? As a matter of fact, that is bullying me.”

Initially, Orange County School administrators upheld the use of the book stemming from the first complaints. Friday’s public hearing was held in response to additional complaints. A final decision is expected within the next two weeks.