Trustees unanimously reject TASB‑recommended changes to library policy; legal counsel to brief board in closed session

The Spring Independent School District Board of Trustees on Aug. 12, 2025, voted not to adopt the Texas Association of School Boards (TASB) interim revisions to local policy EFB (library material development) after an extended discussion and public remarks.

The motion to adopt the recommended policy was made by Trustee Carmen Correa and seconded by Trustee Winford Adams. After public comment from librarians and extensive board discussion, the chair called for a vote; the motion did not pass. At the meeting the presiding officer recorded the result as 0–6 (motion did not carry), and trustees asked administration to schedule a closed‑session legal briefing before further action.

Why it matters: the proposed revisions respond to recent state legislation and would change the district’s procedures for reviewing and removing library materials. General Counsel Jody Kenimer told trustees the new statute requires a local policy consistent with the law and that challenges may be filed by a district employee, a parent or guardian of a district student, or a district resident; under the statute, a challenged item must be removed from circulation until a decision is made.

Trustee Winford Adams explicitly opposed the proposed revision, arguing for preserving a provision that limited a parent’s ability to control instructional or library materials to that parent’s own child. Adams said he believed that provision should remain in local policy and that permitting broader removal powers harms students’ access to materials. Trustee Adams referenced the personal educational value of books such as I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings to illustrate his point.

A librarian who identified herself as Miss Merritt (Clark Middle School) asked the board to retain local discretion and not allow a single parent to remove material for all students. She said librarians already consider teachers, students and families when ordering materials and that local staff should continue to offer choice for students.

General Counsel Kenimer explained that the recommended local policy includes a state‑required committee structure and hearing process; boards that adopt the committee will have a mandated composition for review of challenges and that those same committees would hear and decide challenges under the law. Kenimer advised that the statute imposes new timing and procedural requirements and that the district is asking the board to adopt policy language consistent with the statutory timeline.

After the vote failed, Kenimer recommended a closed‑session consultation with counsel under Texas Government Code §551.071 so trustees could better understand potential legal consequences of rejecting or modifying the recommended policy. The board agreed to bring the matter back for further legal review before final adoption.

Ending: The board declined to adopt the TASB‑recommended EFB local revisions and directed staff to return with legal advice and options in closed session. The item will appear on a future agenda for further consideration.