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Public commenters tell Omaha school board to review library materials; reader cites explicit passage
Summary
At the Oct. 20 Omaha Public Schools board meeting, two public commenters urged the district to remove or review library materials they described as explicit; one speaker read an excerpt and asked why the district lacks a standard for library appropriateness.
At its Oct. 20 meeting, the Omaha Public Schools (OPS) board heard public comments from community members who said certain books in district libraries contain sexually explicit material and urged the district to change or clarify library policy.
Mikaela Khazor, who said she has been speaking at school board meetings since she was 16, told the board she was "disturbed" by what she described as "perverse and pornographic material" in OPS libraries. Khazor said she met with the district library administration last year and that staff told her they did not have a clear standard for determining appropriateness. During her allotted time she read an explicit passage from the book All Boys Aren't Blue, which she said illustrates her concern. "Is this protecting our children or harming them?" Khazor asked the board.
Michelle Rogers also addressed library holdings and asked the board why some materials are available in school libraries while district rules limited what she could display to viewers online when she previously spoke. "How come these books are being allowed in the libraries if I can't even show the online people it?" Rogers said, and told the board she will bring copies to a future meeting for the board to review.
Board rules announced at the start of public comment state members will not respond during public comment; the board took no action on the speakers' requests at the meeting. The board’s 2023 decision to retain All Boys Aren't Blue in district libraries was referenced by Khazor during her remarks.
The speakers asked the board and administration to clarify district standards for library materials and any rules about displaying or sharing materials with the public online. The meeting record shows no vote or directive on library policies at tonight's session.
What happens next: Board rules limit responses during public comment and no formal action on library materials was recorded during this meeting. Community members asked to meet with staff or bring materials to a future board session for review.
