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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 the removals a "book ban" and disputed claims that sexually explicit material was newly introduced after 2020, citing multiple award-winning titles that have circulated for years. "Part of what literature does is safely introduce students to society with all its complexities," Hawkes said, urging the board to rely on professional library curation.
Several speakers sought compromise and greater transparency. Greta Schumacher, a local teacher and parent, asked the district to publish the public records list of removed or relocated titles and proposed automatic opt-in with an opt-out option for parents concerned about specific content. Lisonbee Bizugani, who reviewed public records, said five books were removed from Bell Creek Intermediate (BCI) and 32 from Bellbrook Middle School (BMS) and relocated to the high school library; she described social-media posts about the removals as misleading and reiterated that librarians and administrators evaluate donated books using professional standards.
Students and counselors also spoke. Jackson Breckart, a junior at Bellbrook High School, told the board that younger students should not be exposed to materials he called "explicit" and suggested families who want broader material can use public libraries or online resources. Meredith Brinegar, a parent who said Policy 57-80 appears to exceed the scope of recent state law, warned of legal and developmental consequences from restricting access to materials aimed at middle-school readers.
Board members did not take a formal vote on Policy 57-80 during the meeting. After hearing roughly a dozen public commenters in a roughly two-hour meeting, the board closed open communication and continued through its regular agenda, noting that the policy and related procedures previously had been discussed and that the district will retain the high-school holdings.
Next steps noted by several commenters included publishing the list of relocated books and clarifying the process by which donated titles are reviewed and accepted — matters several speakers said would reduce confusion and limit social-media misinformation.
The public-comment period lasted across multiple speakers from SEG 548 through SEG 1349, after which the board moved to its superintendent's report and consent agenda.
