A School District Responds to a Book Challenge

This article explains the response of a school district to a parental attempt to ban a book or label it as unsuitable for middle school students. Labeling, for the purpose of definition, is giving a book a label similar to one used in the movie industry. The challenged book is entitled Sex Education; it is a novel authored by Jenny Davis. From 1990 through 1999, according to the University of British Columbia Library, Sex Education ranked ninety-third out of the one hundred most frequently challenged books. This article is a case study of one district’s response.

The Setting

The Conrad Weiser Area School District is a suburban-rural district of approximately 3,000 students located in Berks County, Pennsylvania. In May of 2005, one set of parents, with a child in middle school, requested that Sex Education be banned. They subsequently modified the request to have it labeled as unsuitable for middle school children. Their request, which was more in the form of a demand, was based on what they characterized as offensive language. Despite extensive media publicity, the attack on Sex Education was limited to one set of parents.

Prior to describing the process used to respond, some general comments are necessary. Banning library books and/or engaging in a wholesale restriction for one age group through labels are odious concepts. However, in a diverse society, challenges may be inevitable. Intellectual freedom is a pillar of our nation; it is embedded in our laws and generally upheld by the judiciary. Exposing students to ideas is a privilege, right, and entitlement. If we expect students to be creative, thoughtful, and analytical, then we should not restrict access to information. This does not mean that students’ access to books in a public school library is unimpeded or unlimited. Material that is prurient, obscene by community standards, lacks social value, or incites violence can be restricted, but such situations are generally an anomaly. Additionally, parents should retain the right to restrict what their child reads but this applies to their child only; not an entire school. Words considered to be offensive cannot be viewed in isolation or taken out of context. They should be viewed as part of the whole descriptive work.

Banning or labeling books treads on dangerous grounds. Who will do the banning or labeling? What specific criterion is used to classify a book as inappropriate? Is it a word, a political concept, or a religious idea? What is offensive to one parent may be educational to another parent.

Policy and Process

Now, to move on to the process that was followed once the book was challenged. As a district, we were fortunate, and wise, to have an explicit and detailed policy to address book challenges. Criteria for selecting books are included in the policy. The parental challengers appeared to perceive that books were placed on library shelves without giving any consideration to their content. Having specified criteria for book selection nullified that argument as one without merit. According to policy, librarians select books on the following basis:

• Educational significance
• Need and value to the collection
• Reputation and significance of author and publisher
• Clarity, adequacy, objectivity, and appropriateness of text
• Validity, accuracy, and scope of text
• Readability and user appeal
• High artistic quality on literacy style
• Importance of subject matter
• Value commensurate with cost or need

When selecting material, again according to policy, the librarian refers to reputable selection aids such as the following:

• School Library Journal
• Booklist
• Library Journal
• Library Media Connection

In addition to the above, librarians will confer with staff members, visit material examination centers when possible, and confer with other library specialists.

The district also has a specific policy to address book challenges. This kept the process orderly and gave evidence to the fact that the challenge was taken with all deliberate seriousness.

The response to the complaint followed a process also set out in policy. Once the challenge was issued, the book was temporarily withdrawn from the shelves. I, as superintendent, subsequently appointed a book review committee consisting of the following people:

• School librarian
• Building principal
• Teacher
• PTO member
• Board of Education member
• Central office appointee

The appointed committee had the following functions:

• Meet with the challenger and give him/her an opportunity to present the challenge
• Read and examine the challenged work
• Meet to discuss the material and prepare a report
• File a copy of the report with the superintendent

After reading the book, meeting with the parents, and holding a committee meeting, the committee unanimously voted to return Sex Education to the shelves. Incidentally, the parents admitted that they did not read the book; instead, they only reviewed parts they considered to be offensive.

Lessons Learned

What did the district learn from the challenge? First, expect publicity. The parents challenged the book at a school board meeting, which was covered by the media. Although the local newspaper ultimately supported the decision not to ban or label the book, the challenge was given extensive coverage. Second, one challenge does not represent public opinion. Despite attempts to gather allies, the parents who challenged the work failed to marshal public support. In fact, flyers were placed in community mailboxes (by an unknown but suspected source) urging the public to attend a specific board meeting to complain about Sex Education. The turnout was zero! Part of this failure to gain public support was the fact that the challenge was carefully studied. Third, the district treated all complaints seriously. Even if the challenge is considered to be without merit, the public has the right to challenge a book. If the district fails to give serious and deliberate consideration to the charge, results may be counterproductive. Failure to seriously consider the challenge may make it appear to be meritorious. Fourth, the makeup of the review committee has great strategic value. When assigning committee members, the superintendent (or his/her designee) must assign analytical people who have the courage of their convictions and a spirit of intellectual freedom. Fifth, and most significant, it is extremely important that a specific and comprehensive policy addressing book challenges be in place. A policy gives order to the process and it shows that the district engages in thoughtful consideration of complaints. Book challenges need not be a public circus. A school district can meet all challenges through a comprehensive policy that preserves and perpetuates intellectual freedom. Any other course will be calamitous and lead us down the slippery slope to censorship.