Students and parents tell Pine-Richland board books saved lives as critics press for removals

Public commenters at the Pine‑Richland School District board meeting on Aug. 25 urged the board to act on a years‑old set of challenged library titles and criticized trustees for what they said has been a politicized, inconsistent approach to curriculum and library materials.

The remarks came during the meeting's public comment period and included personal testimony from students and parents. Ben Ward, a senior at Pine Richland High School, told the board that books helped him through a period of isolation after he came out: "Books became my lifeline. They spoke to me about losing friends, feeling out of place, about questioning identity, and most importantly, about the strength it takes to be yourself." Ward urged the board against removing titles he said helped him survive.

Speakers made a range of related charges and requests. A visitor who identified himself as Steve Kettlenius said some library materials are "pornographic and explicit" and criticized trustees for not following through after the board adopted policy 109.1 on March 17, 2025; he said no requests had been filed to remove 14 books that were challenged in 2023. Other speakers accused board members of grandstanding and of undermining teachers; several urged trustees to respond to emails and public commenters.

Why it matters: The comments tie into an ongoing dispute over challenged books in the district and broader questions about board‑staff relations, curriculum decisions and how the district handles requests to remove materials. Students' first‑hand accounts, like Ward's, underscore the emotional stakes for some community members.

Details and context

- Multiple speakers referenced 14 books challenged in 2023 and said no removal requests had been completed since the board adopted policy 109.1 on March 17, 2025; that chronology was reported by public commenters in the meeting record, not as a formal staff report or board action. The transcript shows speakers saying it has been "a hundred and 61 days" since the policy passed and that the challenged titles remain on library shelves unless a formal removal request is filed.

- Britney Kendersmith, a Richland Township parent, criticized continued use of opt‑in forms for counseling curriculum and said time staff spend chasing forms is a budget and operational burden. Jen Buse and Anne Myers, parents who spoke later in the public comment period, criticized the board majority's relationship with teachers and called for greater responsiveness to commenters and to staff concerns.

- Several speakers connected the book challenge debate to the upcoming Nov. 4 election and urged voters to weigh candidates' positions on curriculum and governance.

Board response and formal action

No formal board action on library removals or appeals was taken at the Aug. 25 meeting. The record shows the matter was raised repeatedly during public comment, but the board did not place a related agenda motion or vote on removals that night.

Ending

Speakers asked the board to take specific next steps (for example, processing book‑challenge requests and responding to public correspondence). The board did not announce a timeline or formal follow‑up on those requests during the meeting; public commenters said they will continue to press the issue at future meetings.