Ginny Curley, identifying herself as a member of Right Stuff Nebraska and an Omaha Public Schools alumna, urged the board to uphold the district’s existing policy for selecting instructional and library materials rather than responding to calls for outright bans.

"A small number of objections should not determine what thousands of students are allowed to read," Curley told the board during the public comment period on Dec. 17. She said Policy 6300 allows for review, context and age‑appropriate access while preserving choice for students and families.

Curley argued that library materials often foster empathy, critical thinking and conversations about real life, and that decisions about educational resources should be made by trained educators using consistent, professional review processes rather than through reactive public pressure. "Your policy preserves choice while allowing for review, context, and age appropriate access," she said.

Why it matters: The comment came amid nationwide attention to library and curricular challenges and follows the board’s receipt of an educational benefits report that district staff said should shape how the community understands student need. Curley asked the board to "stand firm" in trusting educators and defending access to ideas that may be meaningful or affirming to some students.

Also at the podium, Anna Peters, a teacher who gave her address, thanked the district for a recent grade‑submission extension that reduced after‑hours work for classroom teachers. Peters said an email changing a Friday 3 p.m. deadline to Monday made scheduling and grading more manageable and expressed gratitude to the anonymous decisionmaker on behalf of her colleagues.

Ending: The board acknowledged the comments and proceeded with the consent agenda and the rest of the meeting. No formal policy change was proposed at the meeting.