BY KARISSA MILLER
The Troutman Police Department has opened a criminal investigation into a Moms for Liberty member who read aloud passages describing rape and incest during the public comment period of the Iredell-Statesville Schools Board of Education meeting.
Police Chief Josh Watson confirmed that I-SS administrators have filed a complaint with the TPD related to Paula Mimnaugh’s actions during Monday night’s school board meeting, which was held at the Career Academy & Technical School in Troutman.
“The next step is that it will be assigned to an investigator. The investigator will then take the findings to the district attorney,” Watson said.
Mimnaugh, a former teacher in Montgomery County, has been a frequent speaker at I-SS meetings over the past two years. She has repeatedly urged the district to remove books from school libraries, including those with LGBTQ characters and sexual content.
During Monday’s meeting, she indicated she was doing God’s work. “Jesus is my strength and shield,” she said.
Mimnaugh then criticized the district for its partnership with the Iredell County Public Library, which is called StudentAccess.
“It allows every public-school student to use their student ID as a library card. Students have access to both print and digital books, and can use their ID at any library in the county,” she explained.
Mimnaugh accused the school district of signing up kids to have public library cards. According to I-SS officials, a student has to have a parent’s consent to have a library card, and the school system doesn’t take any students to the public library to get a card.
For the remainder of her allotted three minutes, Mimnaugh read from two books, “A Court of Mist and Fury” by Sarah Maas and “Identical” by Ellen Hopkins. The passages described rape and incest, sexual assault, profanity, alcohol references and oral sex.
The books are not available in I-SS school libraries.
But Mimnaugh said that I-SS high school students can access both books via their StudentAccess account.
District officials pushed back and said her information was not correct.
Board Chairman Bill Howell made it clear that there wouldn’t be any repeat performances during the next public comment period.
“State Law 143-318.17 talks about vulgar comments in a public place. These officers can arrest you — if you’re not careful,” Howell warned.
Some members of the community have questioned why the school board continues to allow Mimnaugh to speak at public meetings. Students often attend the meetings with their parents.
“To make it clear and publicly known, I have received staff complaints and public complaints. We have filed a complaint with the police. I am personally upset that this occurred,” I-SS Superintendent Jeff James said.
Lock her up!!!!
This Moms for Liberty group is nothing more than a bunch of thugs/bullies. Someone informed me that Laketha Bobish, the secretary of Moms for Liberty, is running for a seat on the I-SS School Board. Please people! We don’t need a fourth clown on the board. Sloan, Kurn and Kubiniec have caused enough trouble.
Agree! Spread the word and keep extremists off the board.
One has to wonder if Paula gets some kind of joy out of reading these passages aloud in public – in the presence of children. I think she’s been obsessed with this for so long – she’s starting to enjoy reading them.
That being said, i am sure no charges will result from this investigation – but it would be nice if they would ban her from the board meetings for a while.
Oh the irony… moms for liberty out here trying to protect your kids when they have none in the schools… while their Florida Founders husband has rape charges against him for taking liberties with their threesome female sex partner… oh the irony
Uh oh. Paula has done it this time!
And I agree with the other comments that the Bobish lady absolutely does not need to be on the board of education. She does not represent our values.
ISS high school students can access pretty much anything they want via the internet. They don’t need a library card/student access card to find material that Moms for Liberty deems inappropriate. If anything, Paula Mimnaugh has boosted circulation of these two books.
Yeah for an educated person, Paula sure is ignorant.
And to expand on this article, Paula is from Montgomery County, Maryland, not NC.
While I don’t agree with anything this woman has to say, any attempt by the district to prosecute perceived “vulgarity” would be a clear violation of her First Amendment rights. It either works both ways or it doesn’t work at all.
I am amazed at the self-righteous bigotry Paula just displayed. She has complained and that I-SS was all but operating smut shops and subverting the minds of kids. Yet she just read pornography — yes pornography — to thousands, in her words, in the name of God. The books the Moms for Liberty has so mislead the public over were few and check outs all but non-existent if you listen to the distict’s data. She stood and said she serves God’s law? Here is what the Bible says: Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. 2 Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same. So according to this group we all should not obey the law. Seems hypocritical. Also, I have noticed those railing against the public education system are transplants, have no kids or few, but yet know how to set the path correct for Iredell County. Everyone who was born and raised here should be offended. It’s time for the church to push back against these heretics. I pray for God’s mercy on her soul, if there is one left.
After replaying Ms. Mimnaugh’s comments during the public comment portion of the school board meeting, I feel like there was some confusion with the words “library card.” Iredell County Public Library cards (which she was NOT referring to) are separate and in no way connected with the StudentAccess accounts that all students have access to via their student ID numbers. Perhaps it was this “library card” (StudentAccess) she said all students are signed up for and that she had issue with. Free accounts are automatically created for Iredell County students in public or charter schools according to the Iredell County Public Library’s website. Do parents know they can opt out of this program?
What I find hypocritical is that an adult is being criminally investigated for reading vulgar and explicitly sexual material to adults to make a point; yet, books containing such passages are readily available for students to read. Of course, the adults don’t want to hear such vulgarity because students might be present, but they’re okay with students having access to such books. Even board member Doug Knight, in a previous board meeting, mentioned the preference to “bleep” out the profane and highly charged words should children be present or watching. I’m not specifically referring to the ones Ms. Mimnaugh mentions. There are certainly others. What I find interesting is that no adult has come forth to say why they want their child reading such material.
NC General Statute 143-318.17, to which chairman Bill Howell referred, states that “a person who willfully interrupts, disturbs, or disrupts an official meeting and who, upon being directed to leave the meeting by the presiding officer, willfully refuses to leave the meeting is guilty of a Class 2 misdemeanor.” Ms. Mimnaugh may be guilty of being passionate about her plea to keep children away from sexually explicit material, but she is not guilty of this potential misdemeanor.
My child may read whatever he chooses. Is that good enough for you? I have 2 kids in this joke of a school system. Banning books ain’t the answer.
I came to look at 7 comment with a trepidatious wince. I wondered what support this woman would garner.
But I am so very proud of our community today. Every comment is spot on, and highlights the absolutely ridiculous actions consistent with this group.
I’m so glad Micah’s mommy (Ms Silence Dogood) showed up in the comments to defend Mimnaugh. Paula needs to go back to Maryland. Phelps and mommy need to go back to WVA, and all these other outside idiots need to follow. FAFO Reg
I own family property in Iredell County and often spend time with my family on Lake Norman; but, I’m glad we don’t live here full time! I would not want my kids to grow up in this environment! It’s looking a lot like Deliverance on steroids! Whatever delusional disorder has meshed a cult like culture here among MAGA, Liberty Moms, Jesus Freaks, and “ good ole boy” Christofacists needs to be addressed. We used to have an educated and socially upstanding culture here when I was in Iredell/Statesville school system in mid 80s to 90s, and went to First Presbyterian in Statesville. Unfortunately, some folks in fringe groups of Troutman and Iredell County have regressed to a level of derangement that is pretty scary !! And some of them have jobs in local government, which is even more scary! Where did all these crazy people come from? How did this happen? There’s a reason our government was designed to have “separation of church and state”!
No one wishing for books to be banned has ever been on the correct side of history. Imagine criticizing school districts partnering with the public library for book and resource access being the hill on which you want to die.
I believe school districts partnering with the public library for book and resource access is a positive thing, especially given the sheer number of materials a public library has versus a school library. For a number of reasons, not every student has a public library card nor has the ability to go to a public library. StudentAccess allows all public and charter school students to access these materials. I’d like to believe Ms. Mimnaugh likes the concept of StudentAccess in theory, but I feel like she thinks that students can somehow circumvent the system by trying to obtain books that may have been removed from a school they attend due to their content/inappropriateness (through the process established by the Iredell-Statesville School District). Granted, anyone can go to the public library, with their library card, and check out a book. Anyone can go to a bookstore and purchase said book. The issue concerning Ms. Mimnaugh, I believe, is whether a removed book should be accessible via StudentAccess. Perhaps it was the way she relayed the information that has garnered a number of negative comments, as well as how it was conveyed in the article. If parents are concerned that their child could potentially “check out” a book that was removed from the school library via StudentAccess, then I would encourage the parent to opt out of this program.
This certainly identifies who the puppet master is for Paula Minnaugh. Now Mrs, Silence Dogwood is explaining Mrs. Minnaugh’s words and actions. Why is Paula not explaining for herself?
I just don’t get the laissez-faire, throw your hands up in the air attitude the majority of commenters have regarding the vulgar content and inappropriateness of some of these books. Gina Terry says ISS students can access pretty much anything via the internet. So just give up because you feel it’s hopeless? Dr. Dankenstein – please come forth and share why you would allow your child to reach such vulgarity since you allow them to read anything they choose. No one has yet to provide valid reasons why children should be allowed to read sexually explicit content. Not one! Even if it’s an uphill battle, some people like Ms. Mimnaugh will press on. And for those of you who relish in belittling others with the name calling and calling for her to be locked up? What kind of example are you setting for your children? Everyone is pushing DEI…what about diversity of thought? Oh, I forgot. If it doesn’t fit your narrative, then forget about it.
These ill-informed book banners take everything out of context and rub it in people’s faces, without any inkling that they’re contradicting themselves. You can’t force your religious beliefs on others about parental rights while simultaneously stating that other people don’t have the right to believe or read what they want. If it’s parental rights you’re after, leave it up to the parents, not an organization that is trying to censor people’s stories and experiences. And while you’re at it, take the time to read the full book.