School Board Talks About Profanity in Library Books as more Titles are Challenged

Two library books that were presented at the June meeting of the LGISD school board were removed Monday from the new library materials order lists.

The books that were removed from the list were “The Reappearance of Rachel Price” by Holly Jackson and “The Getaway List” by Emma Lord at the request of board members Calvin Mersiovsky and Anthony Wessels.

According to Superintendent McHazlett, “The reasoning for removing these books from the purchase list was the use of profanity in the books.”

This latest development is part of a broader effort of scrutiny by some on the school board of the content in the school library. Some 32 books that have already been on the shelves at LGISD libraries are now officially on the “Challenged Library Materials List.”

Calvin Mersiovsky said Monday, “I still don’t understand how we order them except off of somebody’s recommendation. I wish that on a local level that we would be a bit more picky on what our librarians order so that this doesn’t put the burden on a school board member or a citizen who gets no salary to be the librarians’ watchdog.”

Anthony Wessels added, “I think we need to keep in mind that we’ve also approved a student code of conduct, an employee handbook, and a student handbook that all outline consequences specifically for use of profanity and vulgar language. So, do our library books need to fall in line with what we are approving in the handbook? They may be some of the greatest literary books written, and I’m not disputing whether they are or they are not, but if we’re going to stand behind and punish teachers and students as well, potentially based upon the rules of our handbook, should our purchases and items in the library also fall in line with those? And if not, then we probably need to consider adjustments to our handbook if we are not going to uphold it in the materials as well.”

There was another book that Mersiovsky was concerned about but could not read yet because it was not available in print prior to the 30 days after the request. It was determined that the book in question was not on the June list but was on the July list and as it was presented more than 30 days ago, that means the review window has been closed. McHazlett said, “We may need to look at the fact that if a book is not available to review, (in the 30-day window), we may have to have exceptions to that. It’s hard to review a book that is not released yet. This is a growing policy. It may be a deal where we can’t order books until they have been released and we have a chance to look at them. But if we go by our current EFB Local, it’s past the 30-day window so at this point, the way it is written right now, we would need to send it for review for the library committee.”

Board member Mary Gunn stated, “I have not read in full, those two books. I’ve read the excerpts that contain lots of profanity. I think we have to be really careful and there are some very good classic books or there are books that are highly acclaimed that are going to have bad language. I don’t really understand the F-word being used at all. I definitely agree with Anthony (Wessels). It’s in our policy that we are not supposed to be using that, but there are going to be books that have some inappropriate language in them. So, I think it’s really important that we are not starting down a slippery slope of just because it has an F-word in it or and S-word or a B-word, or any of these words, that it’s automatically going to be that we are setting a precedent of we are getting rid of or are not ordering those books. My personal review of those two books, in those excerpts, seem that there was the F-word being used for no educational purpose other than to just be using that word. We need to explore that on a book by book basis. There may be times that word occasionally is appropriate and if used appropriately, even though it is an inappropriate word. I think that is important to make note of when we are reviewing these things, because it is going to have to be on a case by case basis. I don’t want to be setting any kind of precedent tonight that just because a book has bad language in it that it is automatic that we are not ordering it.”

Curt Harbers added, “While I agree with you on a semi-level, Mary, I also think that, back to Anthony’s point that if a student were to say that, use a bad word ... they are going to get in trouble. Our code of conduct says that’s not allowed. I think that slippery slope is very slippery, if we are not taking it (the books) out. Then that challenges our school handbook. It makes us hypocritical.”

Gunn added, “But there’s history books that are going to talk about killing and battles and murder. We’re going to be learning all about racism and about all sorts of things that are based upon our history and of course our students are not going to be allowed to murder and use racial comments and do all sorts of things. But just because we are learning about something, that is completely different, learning and reading and exploring what is right and wrong is very different than our student code of conduct and how we then speak. One of them is a learning format and the other is a behavioral thing. If we start doing that, then I’m really concerned. If our student code of conduct says we can’t use profanity, then that means we can’t read profanity, or read about it or learn it in a context in history in which it’s appropriate, then that’s a problem. I think those two are not the same. I don’t think anyone should be using the F-word, but reading it versus behaving it and saying it in school is very different.”

Karen Roberts commented, “I do believe that the level at which that word is used in those excerpts is extremely excessive and I think that the amount of times the word is used in the excerpts does not seem to bring anything to the book at all. I haven’t read the two books either, but I wouldn’t want my kid reading that book if that word is used every other sentence, it doesn’t make any sense” Gary Drab remarked, “It sounds like to me that the recommendation is to remove those books from the purchase list.”

The board approved the June 2024 new library materials list with the removal of the two books that were challenged.