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Resident urges North Allegheny to add Laurie Halse Anderson’s Speak to ELA curriculum
Summary
A resident asked the board to add the novel Speak to the district ELA curriculum now, arguing the book addresses sexual‑assault survivor experience and asserting that, under state law, a two‑thirds board majority could add it without a superintendent recommendation; no board action followed the comment.
During the public‑comment portion of the Sept. 11 meeting, resident Mark Marcico asked the board to add the novel Speak, by Laurie Halse Anderson, to North Allegheny’s English language arts curriculum.
Marcico described personal reasons for advocating the book and said Speak — which the presenter noted is already available in school and community libraries in some formats — would engage students and address survivor experience. He argued the district’s superintendent has the authority to recommend books but that, under Pennsylvania law, a two‑thirds majority of the board can place a book on the curriculum without a superintendent recommendation and urged board members to begin the process. He closed by urging immediate action: "the time to speak is now." No board member moved to start that process during the meeting.
The comment included references to other titles already in the curriculum and to the district’s scheduled textbook‑adoption processes; presenters had earlier cited Policy 108 (adoption of textbooks and novels) as governing textbook timelines.
