School board approves library committee, policy changes to libraries and media centers.

During the regularly scheduled Matanuska Susitna Borough School District (MSBSD) school board meeting, the board approved 2 controversial agenda items, the approval of a library committee and change to school board policy with regards to libraries and media centers.

First up was the approval of the Library Citizens Advisory Committee.

For months, a small but vocal group has spoken out at MSBSD school board meetings about some of the books that might be found in school libraries that parents and community members have deemed “highly sexualized and extremely graphic,” or that have been labeled as “grooming.”

In total, there are 56 books that are being formally challenged, with most titles found in middle and high school libraries throughout the Mat-Su Borough. This list includes fiction and nonfiction books, such as “The Handmaid’s Tale” by Margaret Atwood, “The Freedom Writers’ Diary,” by Erin Gruwell, “The Perks of Being a Wallflower,” by Stephan Chbosky, and “Slaughterhouse-5,” by Kurt Vonnegut, to name just a few.

In response, the school district formed a book review advisory committee to determine and make recommendations to which titles might need to be removed from school libraries. More than 300 people applied to be on the committee, and after some back and forth discussions between school board members on how to select committee members, each district member was able to select 1 member for the committee. Additionally, 2 librarians, 2 educators and 2 school board members would be selected to serve on the 13-member body.

“The Library Committee undermines the skill and professionalism of the district librarians. Library materials are purchased from reputable publishers, and collection decisions are informed by national book awards and book reviews from trustworthy professional sources,” said Rebecca Mormon, a librarian from Anchorage.

“The idea that indecent or illegal materials exist in district libraries is patently absurd,” she said, adding that the recent movement to label books thusly is part of a national movement to defund public education.

“The school district already has a long-standing book challenge procedure…a board’s failure to follow its own procedures is often cited by courts as evidence of unconstitutional motivation and censorship.”

Mike Coons, who spoke in favor of the Library Committee said he appreciates the “returning a measure of sanity to the districts.”

“Students can know what is expected of them and not confusing them with socialist propaganda, bigotry, racism, and forget the lies of the LGBTQ+ groups.” He went on to say that the Mat-Su Borough is leading the way as to sanity, truthfulness, real tolerance and respect for all.

Janice Harrington called into question what the current process is for removing a book, and suggested that people challenging the books prove they have actually read the books.

“Do you have any policy in place that when a person brings in a book that they want pulled from the shelves, that they have to say they’ve read the book, they have to state why they want the book removed, and explain in their own words why that book should be removed? I do not think we should be accepting a list of books that some of our libraries don’t even have,” said Harrington.

The school board approved the following selections to the Library Citizens Advisory Committee.

Tom Bergey District 1 - John C Deal

Kendal Kruse District 2 - Nathaniel Buck

Kathy McCollum, District 3 - Kali Ponder

Jubilee Underwood, District 4 - Andrew Shane

Jacob Butcher, District 5 - Amanda Cottle

Ole Larson, District 6 - Nichole Smith

Ted Swanson, District 7 - Melinda Dale

During the meeting Wednesday evening, there was a challenge made to the number of MSBSD staff that were to be approved, when school board member Kendall Kruse questioned why the list of members from the district changed from 2 librarians and 2 district members to 6.

“This is supposed to be a citizen advisory group, but I see there’s as many district employees as there are citizens.”

“In terms of the decision, whether the book is removed or if we’re going to retain the book, if there’s going to be some restrictions, those 6 staff members and 7 community members brings us to 13, and they’ll be the voting members,” explained Justin Ainsworth, Associate Superintendent of Secondary Schools, who, along with Dr. Andrea Everett, Associate Superintendent of Instruction, will act in a supervisory, non-voting role for the Library Committee.

“Having almost an equal number of district employees, I’m concerned about that defeating the purpose of a citizen advisory committee, making it more of an even playing field between the citizens and school district employees. I would feel more comfortable having a more citizen-heavy committee,” said school board member Jacob Butcher.

“We wanted to have some representation in terms of diversity of roles,” said Ainsworth, who told the board that initially, they wanted 2 librarians for the Library Committee, but are fortunate to have one on the committee.

“We also felt it was critical to have a Language Arts teacher on the board because of their familiarity with literature. And outside of the librarian, they’re probably the only person in the building most familiar with the roundup of 60 books that are being challenged.”

Ultimately, the school board voted to reduce the MSBSD employees on the Library Committee to only 4 members, though it remains unclear which personnel will be removed as of this publication.

The committee will meet the second Thursday of each month at the MSBSD Central Office.

For more information about the Library Advisory Committee, please visit www.matsuk12.us/Page/48861

For a complete list of the challenged books, please click here: Challenged Books

The second controversial item revolved around revisions to BP 6163.1 Libraries/Media Centers, specifically changes to language in the policy that remove wording that libraries are “safe spaces that provide equitable, inclusive, and personalized access to curated relevant digital and printed material.”

Gage Saxton stated his opposition to the changes, sharing with the board:

“Removing the line that libraries are safe spaces that provide equitable access…this sentence is important to me. I was raised in Utqiagvik. Though I love my hometown, growing up I was harassed both by kids and adults for having white skin and my family’s religion. For these reasons, I remember very well my middle and high school libraries very well as safe spaces,” he told the school board.

“There I and other kids, all of different nationalities and skin colors, were all united by being out of the norm in some way, we all shared the free use of the library to study and socialize away from the hateful and sometimes violent school hallways and common areas. It matters that a library is known as a place where everyone is equally safe to be there.”

Other changes to the policy remove the idea that libraries support “artistic, and recreational needs” of the learning community, instead focusing solely on “the academic”; and that learning activities “a variety of perspectives,“ where students develop inquiry skills to become informed literate citizens, instead of “explore diverse perspectives.”

Another change to the policy with regards to how library material is curated now reads: “Materials curated for the school library will: facilitate student’s growth in factual knowledge, and appreciation of literature.” The changes removed ‘growth in…aesthetic values and ethical standards.’

Also removed was the statement that library material will “Realistically depict our pluralistic society and reflect the contributions of its various religious, ethnic and cultural groups.”

Added in was that all materials depicting family life/human sexuality will be in compliance with BP 6142.01. All materials depicting human sexuality will require parental consent before students may access the materials.

“By these revisions, you make it clear that your concern is not preparing all children for the future. You are acting on fear that children will head down a destructive path if they learn about things that you don’t agree with,” said Saxton.

The resolution passed, with only school board member Ted Swanson voting against the changes, stating his vote reflected some public comments that had been made.

“Regarding safe spaces and our pluralistic society, I don’t think those changes need to happen. I think the board policy was sufficient.”