The board of Spotsylvania County Public Schools in Virginia approved a variety of book donations last week, including from the Christian-based book publisher Brave Books.
The donations were met with an uproar from activists upset by the school board's focus on the "appropriateness of content" rather than promoting more LGBT content in school libraries.
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"I want to be surprised, but in today's world, how could people be surprised?" Spotsylvania County Superintendent Mark Taylor said to the Washington Examiner on Monday.
"I can't help myself," Brave Books CEO Trent Talbott laughed in a WMAL radio interview about creating "controversy" by publishing wholesome books, which will be coming to Spotsylvania school libraries following last week's vote.
The Virginia school board voted to accept a variety of book donations for school libraries, which included the whole collection of Brave Books. The donated books from the Christian publisher include Little Lives Matter and Elephants Are Not Birds.
The move for these books stemmed from the school board's monthslong debate over content in school libraries found to not be age appropriate.
"It came from the parents who were frustrated about what was in their libraries," Talbott said to the Washington Examiner.
Taylor said the school district merely wants to follow Virginia law about "moral instruction" and to provide "more positive content" for students.
Taylor added that the question of "where are the positive books?" inspired a greater push to encourage the acceptance of Brave Books in their school libraries.
The Brave Books CEO said Monday that he doesn't understand why some adults are advocating pornographic and inappropriate materials in school libraries and is thrilled Spotsylvania is adding his values-based books in their libraries.
"Everybody gets grossed out by it, and kids get grossed out by it by nature," Talbott said of graphic books in schools.
Taylor hopes other school districts follow their lead in an emphasis on providing students a "moral education" and "appropriate reading selections."
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Brave Books recently received media attention after former Growing Pains actor Kirk Cameron held several book readings at public libraries and was met with protests for his Christian views.
Spotsylvania recently endorsed Gov. Glenn Youngkin's (R-VA) new model policies protecting the requirement of school activities and student participation to be separated by the sex that was assigned to the individual at birth as opposed to their gender identity.