Library book battle unresolved
Policy committee could not reach consensus on new proposal
In the wake of the recent controversy over a proposal to further restrict controversial books and reading material in the Perkiomen Valley School District, a subsequent meeting of the school board’s policy committee took the matter up again but with the same result.
School Board President Jason Saylor’s proposal, which is said to mirror a controversial policy adopted by the Central Bucks School District, focuses on restricting content that has “sexually explicit” words or images that some consider inappropriate for a school setting.
Central Bucks School District made headlines in July when it adopted a new policy making it easier for community members to challenge books they believe to be inappropriate and have them removed
from the shelves of school libraries.
During the March 6 school board meeting, Saylor had sought to introduce the new policy for a full board vote, bypassing the school board’s policy committee. His efforts failed in a 4-4 vote. Board member Laura White, who represented the fifth vote, was absent.
After hearing from the public for two hours at the March 13 voting meeting, the matter of the proposed policy change was next discussed on March 21 at the policy committee with many of the same arguments being raised. No consensus on changing the language to reach a compromise, or “wordsmithing” the policy as some described it, was reached.
As a result, the matter is nevertheless likely to be put on the agenda for the April 3 meeting without a recommendation from the policy committee. As board president, Saylor has the ability to put matters on the agenda prior to the meeting. His attempt to put the matter on the agenda at the March 6 meeting required a vote of the full board because it was a last-minute addition.
The policy’s chances at the April 3 meeting may rest with White or board member Matthew Dorr. White, who is a member of the policy committee, indicated her opposition to the policy as written by declining Monday to recommend moving it to the full board for a vote.
Should she join those who previously voted against the full board considering the policy — Dorr, Tammi Campli, Reena Kolar and Sarah Evans-Brockett — the new policy would not be adopted.
However, Dorr is also running for reelection and he is running as part of a team — Vote 5 for PV