Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Public speakers clash over Policy 57-80 after dozens of books moved to high school
Summary
At the Dec. 11 Bellbrook-Sugarcreek Local board meeting, dozens of residents — parents, teachers and students — debated Board Policy 57-80 and the district's decision to relocate books from elementary and middle school libraries to the high school; commenters split on opt-in vs. opt-out and on whether removals constitute a 'book ban.'
Public comment at the Bellbrook-Sugarcreek Local Board of Education meeting on Dec. 11 focused on the district's parental-rights/library policy, Policy 57-80, and the recent relocation of multiple titles from elementary and middle school collections to the high school library.
Supporters of the policy, including Rachel Brucker, a parent and homeschool advocate, praised the board's move to require opt-in permission for certain age-sensitive materials and said reorganizing the high-school collection reduces inadvertent exposure for younger students while preserving access for older teens. "This opt-in policy made parental notification very clear," Brucker said.
Opponents said the policy goes too far. Sharon Hawkes, director of Right to Read Ohio, called…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
