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Public comments at OPS meeting press district to review library materials and highlight community mental‑health programs
Summary
At the April 21 Omaha Public Schools board meeting, public commenters urged the district to review age-appropriateness of library books citing explicit passages; other speakers proposed outside social‑emotional programs and praised partnerships for early childhood services.
Multiple public commenters at the Omaha Public Schools board meeting on April 21 urged the district to review library holdings for age-appropriate content and described community programs that support students.
Michelle Rogers, who identified herself with her address to the board, read passages she described as graphic from the novel Crank and asked the district to remove the book from school library shelves. “This book contains a lot of different things,” Rogers said, reading several passages aloud and urging the board to “take it off the shelf.”
Mikaela Khazor told the board she had reviewed titles available at Benson High School and other district high schools and read sections she described as explicit from Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe and November 9 by Colleen Hoover. “This isn’t a subtle nod to identity or growing up. It’s an explicit sexual encounter,” Khazor said, and she asked trustees to “review these titles” and set clearer age-appropriateness standards for library materials.
Board members and the district did not take immediate action during public comment; board rules and the Nebraska Open Meetings Act limit public comment and do not provide for an on-the-spot vote. The board’s public-comment procedure (policy 83-46) limits individual speakers to five minutes; the chair reminded speakers of that policy before commenters spoke.
Other public commenters used the podium to propose services and recognize partnerships. Ben Wilson, representing the Center for Holistic Development, described three curricular programs for grades 4–12 — the Empower Project (a social‑emotional curriculum based on cognitive behavioral techniques), Urban Youth BOLT (an Afrocentric leadership program), and Real Talk (an SEL curriculum) — and said outside organizations can provide in‑school support, mentoring and in‑school‑suspension interventions. “SEL has been associated with better graduation, postsecondary enrollment and stable full‑time employment,” Wilson said, and he left materials for board members to review.
Gerald Kuhn, chief executive officer of the Learning Community of Douglas and Sarpy Counties, praised partnerships between the Learning Community and Omaha Public Schools on early childhood programs, saying the partnerships are “helping children and families” in an intensive early childhood initiative.
One public commenter, Justin Riddle, used his time to air allegations about district spending on outside attorneys and described personal disputes with the district. The board did not respond to claims made in public comment; the chair reiterated that board members do not respond during the public comment period and that speakers with student‑specific concerns should work directly with district administration.
Board members later noted the district is engaged in broader discussions about library policies, curriculum and federal funding changes; policy committee and staff briefings on those topics were announced as items the board will consider in committee or at future meetings.
