Board tightens process for objections to library materials, adds statutory caps and removal conditions
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Summary
The school board adopted a revised rule limiting the number of objections per person to 12 per year, clarifying committee membership and requiring removal of certain challenged materials pending review when complaints cite pornography or explicit sexual conduct.
The St. Johns County School Board adopted revisions to Rule 4.132 governing objections to library materials, adding statutory limits and clarifying review procedures.
School board attorney Frank Upchurch said the revision adds language that reflects the statutory cap of 12 complaints per person per year and requires that a challenged item be removed from circulation while the objection is pending when the complaint alleges pornography or explicit sexual conduct. The rule also adjusts committee membership language to ease volunteer recruitment; specifically, parents serving on review committees must be district parents but no longer must attend the specific school where the challenged item resides.
Upchurch said staff also removed an “active in the community” requirement for citizen committee members to avoid confusion. The rule now requires that appeals of the superintendent’s decision to the board be filed within 10 days of notification.
No public speakers addressed the item during the hearing. The board voted to adopt the revised rule as presented.