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Wachusett school committee’s proposed parent‑notification motion on LGBTQ‑themed books fails after hours of public comment
Summary
After more than an hour of public testimony, a motion to require advance parental notification and opt‑outs for classroom materials described as involving 'controversial topics related to sexuality' failed for lack of a second. Speakers on both sides framed the debate as one about parental rights versus representation and student safety.
A proposed motion by Member George Kaminski that would have required parents to be notified and allowed to opt children out whenever schools present "books or other materials that include controversial topics related to sexuality" failed for lack of a second at the Wachusett Regional School Committee meeting on April 28, 2025. Kaminski cited two example titles in presenting the motion: The Prince and the Knight and In Our Mother's House.
The meeting’s public‑comment period drew a large turnout; dozens of residents, teachers, librarians and students addressed the committee. Many speakers urged the committee to reject the motion, calling it discriminatory and harmful to LGBTQ students. Melissa Wallace, a parent from Sterling, said of the effort to single out these books: "This is bigotry and discrimination, and it is wrong." Student and community testimony highlighted mental‑health concerns; one student representative told the committee, "Visibility saves lives."
Supporters of parental notification told individual anecdotes about children upset by specific classroom readings and argued parents should be able to decide what their elementary‑aged children are exposed to. George Kaminski read a constituent statement describing an elementary child who became anxious after a classroom reading and asked the committee to require a list of books in advance so parents could make choices.
The chair called for a second to Kaminski’s motion; none was offered and the motion failed by procedural default. After the motion failed, the committee moved on to other agenda items.
The meeting also included a related procedural development: an Open Meeting Law complaint alleged that Member Melissa Wallace replied‑all on an email to the full committee with deliberative content. Wallace acknowledged the reply‑all was accidental, apologized and said she had taken steps to avoid repeating the error. Later the committee voted that the violation was unintentional and required Wallace to review Open Meeting Law materials and district policy.
No formal change to curricular policy or library holdings was adopted at the meeting. The committee’s agenda continued with other votes, including policy affirmations and budget‑related positions.
