“This Isn’t a Ban,” But It Was: How PAEGP Extremism Sparked Book Bans and Resistance in Central York

ByExpose PAEGP
Students with Panther Anti-Racist Union protest the Central York School Board’s diversity book ban in 2021. Credit: Photo by Jack Panyard, York Dispatch. Fair Use Disclaimer: Used under fair use for political commentary and documenting student activism.

In 2021, the Central York School District made national headlines for all the wrong reasons. Its board was led by a faction that included PA Economic Growth PAC’s current education director and then-Vice President of the board, Veronica Gemma. The district enacted a sweeping ban on a list of over 400 diversity-related educational materials. Many of these resources were books written by or about Black and Brown people. Teachers and staff in Central York compiled the list in the wake of George Floyd’s murder in 2020. They intended it to be a resource for classrooms and students. The list included books, articles, and documentaries that addressed racism, civil rights, and equity. It included episodes of Sesame Street as well as biographies of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Rosa Parks.

The extremist board rejected the entire recommended list in a 9-0 vote. Then, at the urging of Veronica Gemma, these materials were explicitly banned from classroom use.  After introducing this ban she repeatedly defended it, attacking the materials as divisive and inappropriate while insisting this action wasn’t a ban.

Yet internal district communications told a different story. School Board President Jane Johnson wrote in an email exchange with other board members that these resources were banned.  High School Principal Ryan Caufman also sent an email to faculty and staff to clarify what the board intended. It directed teachers and librarians not to use or circulate any of the “Banned Resources”.

Resistance Mobilizes

Concerned parents and residents opposed to the ban, and looking to help elect new board leadership, formed Citizens for Central York School District (Citizens for CYSD).  This group brought the book ban to the attention of local and national news media.  By pitching this story successfully to outlets ranging from the York Dispatch to CNN, Citizens for Central York School District got the attention of the country.

Students weren’t fooled either. The Panther Anti-Racist Union, a student-led group, organized daily protests outside the high school. As these protests grew, they too garnered local and national media attention. They carried signs, gave speeches, and rallied in defiance of the school board’s censorship. Their fight gained national attention in outlets like The Washington Post, The New York Times, and Fox News. Across the journalistic spectrum, this book ban and its proponents were losers.

In response to public outcry and that year’s school board campaign, the board temporarily reversed its decision in September 2021. Citizens for Citizens for CYSD ran a nonpartisan slate of candidates opposed to the ban. Their campaign resulted in the election of three new board members committed to equity and transparency.  Voters decisively removed board member Veronica Gemma from office. Once the new Citizens for Central York board members were sworn in, this ban did not return.

The Book-Banners Strike Back (and Lose)

Still, PAEGP-aligned censorship attempts didn’t stop. In 2023, a parent filed two complaints about books in the high school library, requesting a new ban. These books were Push by Sapphire and A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas. Administrators banned these books after a review stemming from the complaint.

Once again, Citizens for CYSD mounted a campaign opposing the ban, which had been made without a board vote or any public debate. Once again, the Panther Anti-Racist Union stood up for the right of students to read. Right to Know requests revealed that the parent demanding the ban was actually school board candidate Faith Casale, who also ran (and lost) with PAEGP Education Director Veronica Gemma in 2021. This single parent decided her objections to the books should restrict every student in the district. She would decide for all parents, instead of letting each parent decide what was best for their own child. Her campaign, aided by former board member Gemma, boasted a platform mirroring the priorities of PAEGP.

Pro-education board members Amy Milsten, Becky Riek and Corey Thurman worked to pass a new policy that would undo the ban. Their new library policy prohibits future bans and preserves parents’ rights to decide what their own children read. After this reversal, the 2023 election saw a bipartisan group of four pro-education, anti-ban candidates elected to the Central York School Board under the Citizens for Central York banner. 

The Bigger Picture:

Central York is not an isolated case. It’s a warning.

PAEGP enables extreme candidates to win low-turnout school board races. They do this through coordinated messaging, mailers funded by corporate money, and appeals to fear. The result? Suppression of diverse voices, demoralized educators, wasted legal fees, and communities divided.

In Central York, students, teachers, parents and voters stood up together and won.  But make no mistake: PAEGP hasn’t gone away. They’re still funneling money into local races across York County, hoping the next district won’t fight back.

Sources:

📰 Local Reporting

🌐 National Coverage

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