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The Lexington School Board unanimously approved new policies for the selection and removal of library and classroom materials at its December meeting last Tuesday.
This comes after the school system’s controversial decision to remove two books — “Kiss Number 8” and “It’s Perfectly Normal” — from the Lylburn Downing Middle School library in September.
Drafts of these policies were presented at the Board’s October and November meetings.
The new policies separate library materials from instructional materials, those used in classrooms, and set a complaint process for each.
Complaints can be filed by residents of the city of Lexington, a parent with a child enrolled in the school where the materials are used, or an employee in the school where the materials are used.
First, the complaint will be reviewed by the librarian or teacher responsible for the challenged materials, who may remove those materials without moving further into the review process if they agree with the complaint.
The drafts presented at the November meeting included the principal in this first stage of the review process. This was removed from the current policies following public feedback.
If the librarian or teacher does not agree with the request to remove material, a review committee will be formed.
If the complaint is about library materials, the review committee will include the principal, librarians from both district schools, a teacher within the school, and a parent or guardian (other than the complainant) with a child enrolled in the school.
If the complaint is about instructional materials, the review committee will be made up of the principal, the teacher using the materials, another teacher, another educator with experience in the subject area, and a parent or guardian (other than the complainant) with a child enrolled in the school.
The decision made by the review committee can be appealed to the superintendent, then to the School Board, and the decision made at the highest level will remain in effect for four years.
Much of the discussion at the Board’s November meeting was centered around the method for deciding whether or not books would remain available during the review process.
The policies accepted last week allow challenged instructional materials to remain in use during the review process, while challenged library materials will be checked out for use of the review committee.
The first materials to go into this review process will be “Kiss Number 8” and “It’s Perfectly Normal.”
“Any book that’s been removed, outside of the formal process — those will all now go through this approved process,” Board chair Timothy Diette told those at the meeting. “We’ve agreed on this process; it will go through this process.”
“Any books that had been under review while waiting on the policies and selection criteria to be approved by the Board have been returned to the library,” Rebecca Walters, district superintendent, told The News-Gazette. “The librarian will review these books, including any books that have been formally challenged, using the Board’s new selection criteria.”
Walters expects the new policies to be tested further by additional complaints.
“We will have a number of books that will likely go through the formal review process and these books will remain in circulation unless checked out by the review committee,” she said.
The process of bringing books into the library, which had been stopped while the policies were under review, has now restarted.
“We had asked the librarian to pause adding any new titles to the library’s collection until we had approved selection criteria with the new policy,” Walters said. “The process of adding new books to the collection using the new selection criteria has resumed.” -Feedback from the public, Walters noted, has helped to shape these policies, and several citizens provided input at the December meeting either about the policies or the discussion around the policies.
“I feel like when a child is able to learn, to have teachers and educators that can push them to a level of literacy here they can communicate and understand, it’s our job as parents to be able to navigate what is personally acceptable for us,” said Marjorie Douglas, who has two children enrolled in Lexington City Schools.
“I have diverse children, and I’m happy to say that they are learning children now,” she continued. “I’m never taking reading material away from them, and I want the Board to understand that every child deserves the right to be able to read and understand what their parents feel is familiar, healthy, and safe for their family.”
Sarah Stigler, who attended LDMS, spoke from her experience as a student.
“In brief, parents other than my own should not have a say in what books I have access to in a public library,” she said. “I was lucky enough to attend LDMS and have Miss Bridge as my librarian. She helped me find books I love, and made me a reader.”
“In the opening paragraph of the ALA’s bill of rights, it states that the American Library Association restricts all attempts to restrict access to materials and facilities based on the age of library users. Stating that students can simply get their resources elsewhere, for example a public library, displays an extremely privileged point of view,” said Theresa Bridge, the LDMS librarian.
“My request is that the LCS school librarians continue to be included in the process of crafting and adapting these selection and development policy manual, by which you hired us, as guides and experts, to lead the division,” she said.
Other speakers addressed the public letter that led to the removal of “Kiss Number 8” in September.
“Growing up, if my parents told me not to do something, then I didn’t do it. If they told me not me not read that book, I wouldn’t. And to me that starts at home. Why take a book off the shelf, when that may help someone else in their life?” said Dawn Mays-Johnson.
“It shouldn’t be stifled. We should share as much information as we can with each other, and about each other,” she said. “We are in some terrible waters. And I can’t tread and I can’t swim. All I want is the right thing to do, and for everybody to be respectful. The kids look up to us.”
David Stigler also reminded the Board of the examples being set for students.
“I’d like to remind you of Waddell Elementary School’s moto: ‘Be safe, be responsible, be kind.’ I know this moto is thought of in context of our students; however, I hope the School Board and the administration should think that others should also be held to the same standard,” he said.
“Should one of our, and your, educational professionals be called dangerous? I hope you will speak up, and stand up, since that is bullying, and might be slander,” he said.
“And should the academic abilities of our own Lylburn students be insulted? I hope you will speak up, since that is hurtful, and certainly not kind.”
