Parents, teachers press board on textbook selection; board approves textbook committee and advances policy review
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Summary
Public commenters told the Williamson County Board of Education that the board's rejection of a committee textbook choice undermined teacher expertise and asked for stronger oath/conflict provisions; the board approved a textbook committee and advanced policy 4.401 on first reading (12'0).
Several parents and teachers used the public-comment period at the Williamson County Board of Education's Oct. 20 meeting to press the board for clearer protections around district textbook-selection committees after the board declined to approve a committee's recommended materials.
Holly Allgood, who said she served on a middle-school science textbook selection committee, told trustees the process had been thorough but that "the textbook selected for middle school and elementary schools after this rigorous effort was not approved by this board." She asked the board to revise the policy so that "all members ex officio and otherwise of the selection committee sign the required oath" and to give deference to the selection committee "as intended in TCA 49-6-2207(c)(1)."
Valerie Dibley, a parent, similarly asked the board to require board members who serve on committees to take the same state-mandated oath as other committee members and urged a secondary review if the board does not follow committee recommendations.
Beverly Purvis, speaking for the Williamson County Education Association, urged the board to trust classroom educators and to avoid midyear changes to a separate policy under discussion tonight (wireless communication devices). Purvis said the committee of parents, teachers and staff had reached consensus on recommendations and asked the board to honor that work.
On business items, the board approved the textbook committee membership for the current adoption cycle and advanced policy 4.401 (textbooks and instructional materials) on first reading. Superintendent Jason Golden said the committee list included parent nominees and that the board had provided several recommendations during earlier work sessions.
Votes and next steps: The board voted 12–0 to approve the textbook committee membership and voted 12–0 to adopt policy 4.401 on first reading. Board members said the policy will return to the policy committee for additional review before a second reading in November.
Authority cited: At least one speaker referenced Tennessee statutory language for committee deference (TCA 49-6-2207(c)(1)); the board directed staff and policy committee follow-up rather than taking immediate statutory determinations at the meeting.