Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Library Book Review topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Lapeer parents and educators clash over review of 83 library titles; board promises a committee review
Summary
Dozens of residents urged Lapeer Community Schools to either remove or preserve certain library books; parents cited sexually explicit excerpts while educators and retired staff urged full‑book context and adherence to the district’s review procedures. The board and superintendent said a committee will review flagged titles and no permanent bans have been made.
Dozens of residents turned out to a Lapeer Community Schools board meeting to press the district over a list of 83 library titles under review, with some parents urging removals and former staff warning against hasty censorship.
At public comment, Sarah Walker said she found 59 titles in the high‑school catalog and 24 in middle‑school holdings that she described as "nasty" and read a sexually explicit excerpt she said was accessible to a 16‑year‑old. "It really rocked my core that my daughter, who is 16, can read this type of material," Walker said. Several other parents recounted being upset after discovering titles on school shelves.
Other speakers, including retired media specialist Judy Warnke and parents who teach English, urged the board to consider whole‑book context and the professional judgment of librarians and teachers. "You can't base a whole book just on excerpts," one speaker said, urging full‑text review and trusting established selection criteria. Multiple commenters said they trust district librarians and asked that any review follow board policy and an established rubric.
A recurring resource mentioned by speakers was the internet site flagged by at least one critic as prompting the review; speakers variously referred to it as takebacktheclassroom.com. Some commenters urged the district to use such resources to start reviews, while others said lists from outside groups do not replace local professional evaluation.
Superintendent Laundry addressed the meeting after public comment, saying the district would follow its written policies and a formal review process that includes media specialists, classroom teachers, community members and, where appropriate, age‑appropriate students. "Nothing has been banned," he said, stressing the board’s intention to "continually review any material put in front of students" and to rely on an inclusive committee process.
Board members and staff said they will follow district policy for reconsideration, include recommended community and staff participants on review panels, and report back with findings. The board did not announce any immediate removals or policy changes at the meeting.
The board meeting record shows the public comment period closed before the district’s scheduled presentations; the board later reiterated that it will be transparent about the committee's membership and process and will return decisions through the procedures already in place.
