The Rockingham County School Board's work session on Tuesday attracted several librarians who want to weigh in on any new book policies. WMRA's Randi B. Hagi reports.
About 50 people, including at least 10 division librarians, packed into a meeting room at the school district's central office in Harrisonburg on Tuesday afternoon. This was the first meeting the school board has held to discuss writing new policies for book procurement and challenges since it temporarily removed 57 titles earlier this month.
The board talked for about 45 minutes on how to structure the process, and the definition of "sexually explicit content" according to Virginia law, before going into a closed meeting about a personnel issue.
Kim Tate, the division's supervisor of English, was in attendance.
KIM TATE: I do think it's important to know that we have very well-trained and well-versed librarians who also develop very positive relationships with young people at every level, and it is hurtful that decisions were made without consulting them first.
She noted that the school libraries already have collection policies guided by the profession's evidence-based practices.
TATE: Every book is not for every child. … However, we need to have library collections that speak to our brightest students. … We need to have everyday experiences representing children with all different backgrounds and families and cultures and religions and ethnicities, and I haven't lived all those lives, but I want a library collection where students come in and see themselves.
The board made plans to hold an input session with librarians on February 13th. They also discussed having a public forum at a later date.
