Residents urge Kanawha County Schools to 'open the doors,' raise concerns about library books and request more community outreach

Several residents addressed the Kanawha County Board of Education during the Jan. 16 public-delegation period, urging more public outreach and raising repeated concerns that school library materials include content they described as obscene. Speakers asked the board to make district goals and materials more transparent and to provide forums for community discussion.

Kathy Burgess opened the remarks with a call to “open the doors,” urging the district to run an active public-relations program, hold community forums and regular presentations by board members and district leaders, and use multimedia to counter misinformation and explain district goals. “We must open the doors, not literally, but through a strong emphasis on public relations,” Burgess said, calling for question-and-answer sessions to build trust between schools and families.

Multiple callers raised objections to library and instructional materials they consider inappropriate. Reverend Philip Dunn said the content in some books is “damaging” and described it as “obscene pornographic filth” in remarks to the board. Dennis Westover referenced state law sections in the course of describing his concerns and said he expects impending legislative changes may require renewed local discussion about what materials are allowed. Westover said his group intends to remain engaged in such discussions.

Betty Jarvis told the board she had prepared documents describing concerns but said an attorney had requested she not speak publicly about a particular matter because an investigation is pending; she provided the documents to board staff but declined to discuss details. The transcript records that she filed an ethics complaint but that an attorney advised her not to discuss specifics at the meeting.

When asked by a member of the public who should be contacted with a complaint about a book or other school material, a district official stated that parents and community members should speak to the school principal. The official also said the district has a policy that allows alternative assignments when a student objects to an assigned book, and added that staff reviewed lists of allegedly obscene books provided to the district and found those titles were not in the schools named in the materials under review.

Board members agreed to circulate meeting dates for the Local School Improvement Committee (LSIC) spring meetings and to try to provide dates to schools and the public. Several speakers said they plan continued engagement with the board and the forthcoming legislative session.

Ending

Public delegations continued after the formal Q&A period; no formal board action on library materials or banning requests was recorded at the Jan. 16 meeting.