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Abilene ISD trustees approve Slack chair and accept committee recommendations on challenged books after hours of public comment
Summary
Trustees voted 7-0 to approve Eric Lemons as chair of the SB 13 Slack committee, to accept a library procurement list and to adopt the Slackrecommendations on 27 challenged titles after nearly 30 members of the public spoke for and against contested library materials, with staff saying 7 titles would be removed and others retained or reclassified.
Abilene ISD trustees on Monday evening approved the Slack committee's leadership and recommendations on challenged library materials after a packed public-comment period in which parents, librarians and community members urged both caution and change.
The board voted unanimously, 7-0, to appoint Eric Lemons as chair of the districtSlack review committee and to approve two related actions: a procurement list of titles recommended by the Slack for possible campus purchases and the Slack's recommendations resolving the district's formal book challenges.
Why it matters: The Slack process was created under Senate Bill 13 to give districts a locally controlled review process for challenged materials. The decisions made by the Slack and approved by the board determine what students may access in campus and district libraries and how contested titles are treated going forward.
Public comment dominated the meeting. Thirty speakers were scheduled and the board reduced speaking time to one minute per person because of demand. Supporters of librarians described professional standards and the districtstaffwork to follow law and policy…
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