Residents challenge library book and criticize DEI at Bear Valley Unified meeting

Several members of the public used the board—omment period to raise objections about library materials and curriculum.

Speaker 11 said she had distributed handouts with excerpts from John Green nd urged the board to remove Looking for Alaska from the high school library, describing portions as "graphic" and inappropriate for young girls. She proposed forming a committee of six retired educators to review new books and provide recommendations to the board and volunteered to serve.

Speaker 9 (who identified an email address during remarks) criticized DEI and "progressive education," saying, "Children are sorted by race, identity taught before, competence," and argued that such approaches lower expectations. Speaker 9 invoked Martin Luther King Jr., saying his message is often quoted but "rarely followed," and framed their comments as a call for individual dignity rather than group‑based instruction.

Board procedure was enforced: the meeting chair reminded speakers of the three-minute limit and noted the Brown Act prevents board action on non-agendized items absent an urgency finding. The transcript records no formal staff response to the book challenge or curriculum criticisms during the public-comment period; trustees accepted the comments as part of the public record.

Speaker 11 suggested a standing review process for new books; no formal motion was put forward at the meeting.