ANDERSON — The Anderson school board has approved a policy to comply with a new state law enabling parents to challenge classroom and library materials they perceive to be obscene, inappropriate or otherwise harmful to students.
The policy dictates that all library and classroom books and other media materials be compiled on a list that’s available to the public.
A parent or other community member who challenges a book and is dissatisfied with the school’s decision can appeal it to the school board, which would then make a decision on the appeal in a public meeting.
“We have seen this take place in school districts in Indiana,” board attorney Charles Rubright said of efforts to remove material from school systems.
“This is mandated by the General Assembly. ... We have to adopt some policy. If not, ACS will be criticized in terms of the action taken by the General Assembly.”
Three board members said that one parent or resident of the school district shouldn’t have the single-handed ability to ban books.
“I understand the General Assembly mandated this process,” board member Mandy Webb said. “I agree there should be a policy to protect librarians. But one parent or community member shouldn’t have the ability to ban books.”
Board member JoAnna Collette spoke against censoring books.
“A diversity of opinion is how children learn,” she said.
Holly Renz, another board member, said she doesn’t believe the policy will give a parent or community member the ability to ban a book single-handedly.
“We have to look at the material as a whole,” she said. “I like this policy.”
The policy states that a parent or community member would start the process by first discussing the material with the school librarian. The next step in the policy would be a discussion between the complainant and the school principal. If the parent or community member is not satisfied, a formal request for removal could be filed.
At that point, the principal would appoint a committee to review the material within 15 days, during which time the material would remain in use.
The review committee would include but not be limited to a school media professional, a classroom teacher and a parent. For challenged materials at the middle-school or high-school level, a student could be appointed to the committee.
The review committee would be required to read, watch or listen to the material, review the state’s definition of material that is obscene or harmful to minors and judge the material as a whole.
The review committee would then report its findings to the school principal, who would make a decision about whether to remove the material from the school. That decision could be appealed by the parent in writing within 10 days to the school board, which would then be compelled to decide on the matter in a public meeting.