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Public commenter urges board to remove a required book, asks for stronger notice rules
Summary
A parent, Jessica Pricey, told the board her freshman was uncomfortable with a required reading and requested the book be removed from the required list (not banned), argued classroom handling of sensitive material was problematic and asked the district to require advance notice to parents for sensitive or controversial required readings.
During public comment at the Nov. 10 meeting, Jessica Pricey described following the district's formal review process after her freshman raised discomfort with a book assigned in class. Pricey asked the board to remove the text from the required reading list — "not banned, just removed" — because she said it normalizes and objectifies minors and includes explicit material she found disqualifying for required curriculum.
Pricey said building, district and superintendent reviews had voted to retain the book and asked the board to strengthen policy so parents would receive advance notice when sensitive or controversial material is assigned. She said she started a Change.org petition ("search CCSD books") to demonstrate community support.
"As affirmed in Mahmood versus Taylor, parents have the right to opt out their children of certain content," Pricey said, and argued that opt-out rights are meaningless unless parents are informed in advance. She asked the board to increase transparency so busy parents can be made aware of sensitive material in required readings.
Board members did not take action on the request at the meeting; the speaker's two-minute time expired under the public comment rules.
