Parents criticize book challenges and urge transparent review process
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Summary
Two parents told the Galt Joint Union Elementary School District board they believe a trustee targeted dozens of library titles for removal and urged clearer review and parent notification procedures; one speaker said she will file a Williams complaint.
Two parents used the public-comment portion of the Galt Joint Union Elementary School District board meeting to challenge recent efforts to remove or restrict books in school libraries.
Veronica Kaufmann said a public-records request showed that Trustee Matthew Ward requested 16 books be removed because he found them inappropriate and that the request followed searches targeting terms related to protected classes. “Anytime a book is removed from the library shelves preventing a student from accessing the book, that is a book ban,” Kaufmann said, and she said she will file a Williams complaint regarding at least one title.
Mikaela Johnson, a Lake Canyon Elementary parent and school site council member, said she will submit formal challenges to 10 books she described as containing “graphic content” and read excerpts from Ready Player One and Speak. Johnson said parents should be notified and that books with mature themes should go through a transparent site council review process.
Board members did not immediately contest the factual claims offered by the speakers. A board member speaking in their CSBA delegate role later reminded the room that U.S. Supreme Court precedent governs in resolving legal questions about instructional material, and that state or association recommendations do not replace federal law.
The comments came before the board approved, unanimously, a set of policy revisions on second reading. Kaufmann also asked the board to clarify whether students could be exempted from programs such as Reading Plus for religious reasons and whether teachers would be required to provide alternate daily assignments in such cases; board members did not provide a policy answer during the meeting.
The board did not take formal action on the specific book challenges during the meeting; speakers said they will pursue administrative and legal complaint processes if needed. The board packet and district website include written public comments submitted in advance.