The Maryland State Board of Education has overturned a decision made by the Harford County Board of Education to remove the book “Flamer” from school libraries.

The Maryland State Board of Education’s decision came Tuesday. In it, MSDE recommends that Harford’s school board revise its book evaluation procedures to “ensure transparency, provide notice and opportunity for community participation and future reconsideration matters.”

Community members had criticized the Harford school board for its June 26 decision to remove the book “behind closed doors.” The Harford school system had previously approved the book for middle and high-school libraries.

This was the Harford school board’s first such move since the county school system launched a Library Material Reconsideration committee in

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