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St. Francis Area Schools board adopts revised library policy, approves settlements with Education Minnesota and Minnesota ACLU
Summary
The St. Francis Area Schools board approved settlement agreements with Education Minnesota and the Minnesota ACLU and adopted a revised library materials policy (606.5). Public comment at the meeting focused on book access, review procedures and the role of school librarians.
The St. Francis Area Schools Board of Education approved settlement agreements with Education Minnesota and the Minnesota ACLU and adopted a revised library materials policy, known in the packet as policy 606.5, during its June meeting. The board and district staff said the agreements include adoption of a model policy from the Minnesota School Boards Association with a few small additions and that pending lawsuits will be dismissed once signatures are finalized.
School officials said the district “accepted the model policy 606.5 from MSBA with a couple, small additions” and that the settlement includes dismissal of the outstanding lawsuits and final paperwork in the board packet. A district staff member read behavior expectations for visitors as part of the closing instructions tied to the settlement, saying, “To maintain a respectful and professional environment, all visitors are expected to conduct themselves in a courteous and appropriate manner. Disruptions, including outbursts, interruptions, excessive applause are not permitted.”
The vote to approve the settlements and the revised policy followed an extended public comment period in which many residents urged the board to retain broad access to books and to trust teachers and librarians. Brian Bogart said, “how important books are for our students in this district, how absolutely important it is for them to read good challenging books,” and Summer Gallardo told the board, “We should be encouraging and even begging our kids to read challenging materials, and we should be reading it with them.” Mishi Allison said books “can be a mirror or a window. They can show us ourselves. They can also show us each other and they increase empathy.”
Other speakers asked the board to adopt transparent review procedures and called for a community-centered approach to curriculum and library selections. A commenter identified as Chris B. said he was “surprised” there had been no board standard operating procedure and asked the board “to adopt a community plan that made sure we have a community that represents the modern world.”
District staff said the revised policy incorporates MSBA guidance and includes limited, staff-described additions from the settlement discussions. The board packet, the administration said, contains the full text of the settlement agreements and the revised policy; signatures will be added and the lawsuits dismissed once the agreements are signed.
The board did not specify a timeline for public release of the signed settlement documents beyond placing the materials in the board packet and completing signatures. The district also reminded meeting attendees of conduct expectations during board meetings as part of the statement read when closing the settlement discussion.
