The Hempfield Area School District recently drafted a proposed update to the district’s resource material policy, which applies to library books (“Hempfield book policy draft could provide guardrails to sexualized content,” Jan. 19, TribLIVE). The proposed changes are extremely problematic.
One proposed revision says that high school students may view nudity only if they are 18. This shows an ignorance of the arts and humanities, which include paintings and sculptures of nudes. It’s absurd that students could not see art books with masterpieces like Michelangelo’s David.
A second proposed revision suggests that librarians use a list of “reputable, unbiased sources” when ordering new books. However, bias is not a measure of a book’s value, and most challenged books are novels, which are fiction.
Currently, if a parent challenges a book, a committee reads and discusses the book then makes a recommendation. Unfortunately, some groups, such as Moms for Liberty, want to ban lists of books. They recently demanded the removal of 77 books from one district. Such a challenge at Hempfield would require 77 review committees, assuming there’s no appeal. A new proposed addition allows for an appeal and a second committee’s review.
Unfortunately, adding steps to the book challenge policy will not appease extremists or solve the problem of unwarranted book challenges.
Susan Kochman
North Irwin