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Board reinstates EPIC digital library for student use after MTAC recommendation
Summary
After months of debate and public comment, the district's Media & Technology Advisory Committee recommended restoring student access to the EPIC digital library; the Buncombe County Board of Education voted to accept that recommendation and approved reinstatement with teacher guidelines.
The Buncombe County Board of Education voted to accept a recommendation from the district Media and Technology Advisory Committee (MTAC) to reinstate student access to the EPIC digital library.
Dr. Jennifer Reed summarized the MTAC process and told the board that MTAC — a 55-member group that includes parents, teachers, media specialists and administrators — recommended reinstatement with an accompanying set of teacher guidelines. "The MTAC committee at that time ... were asked to make that recommendation at that meeting. So at the meeting itself, the team did come up with a couple different recommendations. One was to reinstate EPIC for student use with an accompanying set of guidelines," Reed said.
Board members discussed the guidelines and the need for parent-level account settings. One board member noted Epic is web-based and can be turned on or off districtwide; Dr. Reed said implementation could occur "in the matter of a week or less." The motion to accept the MTAC recommendation carried with no recorded opposition.
Why it matters: EPIC is a widely used digital reading platform for schools. Restoring student access returns a curricular and library resource to classrooms and devices, subject to the teacher-use guidelines MTAC developed. Board members emphasized that parents can further customize filtering when they create personal accounts.
Public comment: Several speakers addressed EPIC during public comment both for and against student access. Craig White of the Campaign for Southern Equality urged the board to restore student access and said students "should see themselves reflected in the books that they read as in a mirror, and books should offer a window into the lives of people and families different than their own." Other public commenters raised concerns about specific content and urged parental control.
Implementation: Dr. Reed said the platform is web-based and district technology staff could enable access quickly; the district will share MTAC's teacher guidelines with staff and route any platform issues through the MTAC process.
