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Public speakers defend challenged books and urge protection for DEI-funded services
Summary
At public participation, a resident cited board data showing very few books removed from collections and praised the review process; another speaker urged the district and state to resist federal threats to cut Title I and other funding tied to diversity, equity and inclusion programs.
During the meeting’s public participation period on April 9, speakers addressed the district’s book-review process and potential federal pressure on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programming.
Sean Brim of Northeast provided board-reviewed statistics on challenged books between October 2022 and August 2023, noting the number of titles removed was a very small fraction of district holdings. “If my math is right, books removed amounts to .002% of the book titles in collections,” Brim said. He urged parents and the public to continue using school libraries and criticized attempts to broadly remove materials: “Books save lives, so keep reading.”
Lindsay Bergman Devis warned the board about federal policy pressure that could be used to cut funds such as Title I if districts are targeted over diversity and inclusion work. She said the threat of withheld federal money is being used as a political lever and urged district leaders to continue supporting programs that help marginalized students. “Diversity, equity, and inclusion isn’t some scary political agenda. It’s the work of ensuring that all students feel seen, safe, and supported,” she told the board.
The board’s policy on public participation was read aloud before the speakers: comments are limited to three minutes per person, the board does not render decisions during the public comment period and personnel, pending appeals and specific student disciplinary matters are out of order.
Board staff noted the district must follow state and federal rules on curriculum and parental opt-outs; Superintendent Lawson later referenced recently passed state legislation (House Bill 161) clarifying that the state can escalate enforcement steps if required curriculum standards are not delivered, while reaffirming the district’s practice of offering parental opt-outs for family life instruction.
