Pastor Removed from School Board Over Book Reading
Pastor accused of censorship after being escorted out of meeting for reading explicit passage from student-accessible book.
1 min read
Pastor John K. Amanchukwu Sr. was removed from a school board meeting in North Carolina after attempting to read a passage from the novel *Push* by Ramona Lofton. The incident occurred during a meeting of the Iredell-Statesville Schools Board of Education on October 12, 2026.
Explicit Content and Board Response
The book, which contains explicit depictions of incest, rape, physical and emotional abuse, and related trauma, is freely available to students at Lake Norman High School. Before the Pastor even began reading, Board Chair Dr. Doug Knight informed him that reading ‘nasty words’ was not allowed, citing that such content is already accessible to students.
Pastor Amanchukwu argued that the board chair was violating his First Amendment rights, supported by at least one board member. Despite his pushback, Knight ordered him to stop and called in police, who escorted him out of the meeting.
Amanchukwu shared the incident on social media, announcing, “A LAWSUIT IS COMING!!!” He criticized the school district, stating, “The Iredell-Statesville School District has a BIG problem.”
“I was censored by the board chair for reading from *Push* by Ramona Lofton. Then POLICE were brought in to intimidate me and force me away from the podium,” he wrote. “Let me get this straight: THE BOOK STAYS. THE PREACHER GETS SILENCED.”
“An allegedly inappropriate book remains in Lake Norman High School, but a preacher exercising his right to speak gets shut down?”
🚨 A LAWSUIT IS COMING!!!
Freedom of Speech Concerns
The incident has sparked debate over freedom of speech and the limits of school board authority. While the book is available to students, the board’s decision to prevent its reading during a formal meeting has raised questions about censorship and the protection of constitutional rights.
Source: The Gateway Pundit
