County School Board To Name Special Panel To Look Into Appropriateness Of Library Books

  • Monday, December 6, 2021

Tucker McClendon, county school board chairman, has called for a special panel to look into the issue of whether certain books in school libraries are appropriate.

Board member Rhonda Thurman raised the issue earlier when she said certain school library books had "vile content."

She said she was not advocating "banning books," but said some were inappropriate.

Others spoke out against "censorship" attempts.

Mr. McClendon said he would ask the committee "to do a deep dive into the issue" and come back with a report to the board by March.

He is asking for the board to approve the committee on Thursday, then have board members each give him the name of two appointees.

He said the study was appropriate "given the recent conversation." A number of spokespersons on each side of the issue appeared recently before the board.

Mr. McClendon said one issue involves groups that donate books to the libraries and whether the donations are vetted.

Board member Joe Smith said he found there is no policy on the appropriateness of library books and it is handled differently at each school. "It is all over the place," he said. Mr. Smith said a standard approach was needed.

Board member Tiffanie Robinson said it was "a valid conversation," but she said the rhetoric on the topic in the past had been very heated.

 

 

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