Flagler County Sheriff's Office closes criminal case involving ban of controversial book

BUNNELL, Fla. - "Florida law is very clear. The school board needs to do their job." 

Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly had harsh words after closing an investigation into a book found in Flagler County Schools. 

There was controversy at this week’s school board meeting over the book All Boys Aren’t Blue.

"I want that right there stopped!" shouted a parent at a school board meeting Tuesday night. 

"I happen to believe these books belong in our library," said another parent at the meeting.

RELATED: Flagler County School Board meeting heats up over book controversy

"A seventh and eighth-grader doesn’t need that kind of graphics that they can go and check out," said yet another parent.

It started with Flagler School Board member Jill Woolbright. 

"I happened to just ‘Google’ the book and it was in our library and it disturbed me," she said at the meeting. 

She learned there were four copies of it in school libraries throughout the district and filed a complaint with the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office, calling it "disgusting." The book contains scenes of masturbation and oral sex.

Now nearly two weeks later, Sheriff Staly determined there was no crime. In a legal memorandum, general counsel explained that the board "fails to define what it considers ‘hardcore pornography.’" 

"We do not set the standards. The school district does. They were very lax in compliance with the statute," said Staly. 

He said it’s up to the board to decide what to do.

School board member Jill Woolbright reacted to the decision in a statement sent to FOX 35 News, explaining the board needs to update its policy and make a judgment about the book. She cited how interested Flagler County residents are in the future decision about this book, and if Tuesday night was any indication, they most certainly are.

"But they’re still minors and they still need guidance," said one parent at the meeting.

The book and several others have since been taken off the shelves in Flagler County Schools. 

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