The Virginia Beach School Boaard voted to create a content committee to make sure sexually explicit content in elementary school libraries is banned.
This story was reported and written by our media partner WTKR
The proposal, created earlier this month by board member David Culpepper, passed in a six to four vote. The review would apply to books added to school libraries – not books already in circulation.
Before the vote, public comment lasted well over two hours, as supporters and proponents of the policy voiced their opinions.
“Tonight’s proposal to once again create a list of inappropriate books, or as I like to call it the naughty list, is yet another proposal to ban books that diverge from one person’s view on what is acceptable for all students,” one resident said.
“Mr. Culpepper’s amendment should be unanimously passed because it’s amazing to me that there’s professional resistance to removing a lot of this material from school libraries,” said another.
Superintendent Donald Robertson said he’s been hearing from board members on both sides of the issue.
"Concerns I heard from people who are for this are 'Can you do it?,' 'How much time do you need to get it right?' Take all the time that you need," Robertson said. "For those who are against it, are we putting ourselves in a position where we’re banning books? I don’t think so.”
In 2022, Virginia legislators passed Senate Bill 656. This states that the Virginia Department of Education will create model policies for ensuring parental notification of any instructional material that includes sexually explicit content. Some of these books include "Ready Player One," "The Grapes of Wrath" and "To Kill a Mockingbird."
Culpepper's proposal would allow the created team to ban books like these in elementary schools and require middle and high schools to clearly list them on the schools website.
According to the agenda, the committee would include "at least four library media specialists." It is unclear as of right now who those people will be.
WHRO's Doug Boynton contributed to this story.
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