The Murfreesboro City Schools Board voted Jan. 14 to remove the children’s book It Feels Good to Be Yourself by Theresa Thorn from circulation at Bradley Academy after a school-level materials review panel recommended removal.

Board policy required the school principal to convene a review committee when a parent or community member requested reconsideration. Director of Schools Dr. Duke told the board the committee — consisting of a district media specialist, a classroom teacher, a parent from Bradley Academy, and district instructional staff — met Dec. 17 and returned a 4–1 recommendation to remove the title; one committee member recommended retaining the book. The principal, Dr. Lewis, upheld the committee’s majority finding and Dr. Duke presented that recommendation to the board under Board Policy 4.403.

The vote came after several board members described careful deliberation. “I really wrestled with this,” Board Member Price said, describing outreach she conducted to understand whether the book was reaching its intended audience and expressing reluctance to support blanket bans. Board Member Settles said the district’s established review process should guide the board: “If you impanel a committee I feel very strongly that we listen to the recommendation of the committee because that’s what they’re there for,” he said, calling the district’s adherence to procedure a strength.

Board Member Long, who filed the reconsideration for the panel’s review, told the board she had thought about the decision extensively and cited readability concerns and an aim to protect very young students: “The book has been on the shelf since 2022. From what I understand, it’s never been checked out,” Long said. Long stated she worried a kindergartner could check out the title and become confused.

After discussion, a motion to affirm the director’s recommendation and remove the book from circulation passed on a voice vote with all members present saying “aye.” The board did not record a roll-call tally; no member voiced opposition during the vote.

Bradley Academy’s principal convened the review panel and completed the committee checklist required by Board Policy 4.403; the director’s recommendation and the committee’s vote were the grounds cited in the board’s decision. The board did not specify a timeline for appeal or reevaluation in the public record during the meeting.

The removal affects only the copy held at Bradley Academy; the board did not state whether districtwide holdings were reviewed or whether a replacement or alternate resource would be offered.

The board’s action followed the district’s formal reconsideration process under Board Policy 4.403 and was presented as an administrative recommendation rather than a new policy change.