Local educator raises concern about library censorship at Belton ISD meeting
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Summary
At the board workshop, educator Jose Martinez urged trustees to ensure certified librarians, not untrained staff, make library selections and said he was concerned about what he described as 'censoring of some material' in district libraries.
Jose Martinez, a longtime educator who said he has taught at levels from kindergarten through graduate school, used his public-comment time at the Belton ISD workshop to raise concerns about library practices and staffing.
Martinez said he had observed what he characterized as a trend of "censoring of some material" in district libraries and emphasized that librarians trained and certified in library policy and selection should be responsible for library collections and policy decisions. "Some have been, I guess criticized or rather there seems to be in 2 or 3 words or so a censoring of some, material," Martinez said, and he urged the board to ensure that library professionals oversee selection and policy.
The presiding officer read district policy restricting board response during public comments and reminded the audience that the board could not discuss or act on items not on the published agenda; no board response or action was taken during the workshop. Martinez concluded by stressing his background in education and his concern for maintaining library expertise in selection and policy.
