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McPherson resident urges community conversation after book removed from classrooms
Summary
A McPherson resident told the school board a classroom book was confiscated mid-unit and invited the community to a public discussion hosted by a local bookstore.
Kieran McCann, a McPherson resident and president of the Person Coalition for Equity, Inclusion, and Diversity, told the McPherson USD 418 Board of Education during public comment that the book Flight of the Puffin by Anne Braden was suddenly removed from classrooms in the middle of a teaching unit.
McCann said parents, students and teachers contacted her after the removal, and she described community concern about the way the matter was handled. “We just want the kids to be alright. We want them to be safe,” McCann said, framing the removal as an episode that has caused worry among families and educators.
McCann described themes in the book—community response to school funding uncertainty, bullying and homelessness—and said a subplot about anonymous acts of kindness illustrated the potential for community healing. She said she and a local bookstore owner, Katie, will host a community discussion about the book on Saturday at 4 p.m. at Twice Tall Tales.
The remark came during the meeting’s public-comment period; the board did not take any formal action on the item that evening. Board members acknowledged the comment and then moved on to the next agenda item.
