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Superintendent Dr. Debra Pace has instructed staff to gather four titles for a review by a district committee. FILE PHOTO
The School District of Osceola County continues to review books found in its schools’ media center collections for mature content.
It’s not an easy process, as vocal parents and other opponents hammered away at both sides of the issue at each of April’s School Board meetings — those incensed about allowing books with graphic content into school libraries, and those adamant the District should not ban books, and instead stick to policies about what gets on library shelves and the a review process once they’re there.
The heightened review process started when, during the public comment section of the April 5 meeting, several community members and parents read graphic excerpts from at least four books found in high school libraries. It led to Superintendent Dr. Debra Pace instructing staff to gather these titles for a review by a district committee:
“Out of Darkness” by Ashley Hope Perez; “Me, Earl, and the Dying Girl” by Jesse Andrews; “All Boys Aren’t Blue” by George Johnson; and “Looking for Alaska” by John Green.
Through last weeks meeting, not of the titles had been officially challenged through the School District’s process, Pace said.
“These titles are not being banned, they are simply being pulled back for review,” she said. “We typically start at the school site level but I felt, with the amount of concern raised, it was important to bring it to the second step, a district-level review.”
Pace said she’s heard concern from media specialists at the school level.
“Because of the charged nature of the situation, we didn’t want to burden them with this request. They already have a high level of responsibility that sits on their shoulders,” she said.
At last week’s School Board meeting, Pace noted the review of those titles is to determine if the content violates local or state standards. She said she hopes have more to report at next week’s Board meeting.
Last week, she also laid out how parents can choose the access their student can have to materials that are labeled with mature content — Unlimited access, access but not to that with mature content, or no access at all. An online form (www.OsceolaSchools/ net/MediaCenterAccess) has been available for about three weeks; at the meeting, she said 28 families had filled out the form; 21 had chosen for unlimited access, and it will be included in next year’s Back to School packet.
The topic started a conversation among School Board members about the district’s process, managed by school-level media specialists, for books making it into libraries.
“There should be limitations on graphic materials,” Board member Julius Melendez said. “I’d like to discuss that process, its standards, and what the Superintendent has authority to do.”
Board member Jon Arguello wanted to take it a step further, tying reports he said he received of sexual acts and assaults taking place on campuses, calling it a version of art imitating life.
“The content is playing out in our schools, which is a dangerous situation,” he said.
Pace said she had faith in those district guidelines, which may need to be refined after the Florida Legislature passed House Bill 1467, which further codified that process of approving books and materials. (https://www. flsenate.gov/Session/ Bill/2022/1467/BillText/ er/PDF)
“We have them in place for a reason,” she said. “And we are blessed with incredibly gifted media specialists in all of our schools across the district.”
In January, 16 books were removed from Polk County school library shelves after outcry from a local group, which determined they were “inappropriate” and contained “obscene material.”
