Mentor school board approves new policy amid controversial book debate

MENTOR, Ohio (WJW) – An ongoing debate over controversial library books offered to students in the Mentor Public School District prompted the board of education to approve a new policy on books on Thursday night.

During a contentious meeting before the vote on the policy changes at school libraries across the district, taxpayer Jacqueline McCormick told board members, “if you truly want a safe environment for all children, sexually explicit material should not be allowed in our schools, especially given to children by trusted adults.”

The policy debate in Mentor began after parental challenges earlier this year to library books that children have access to, including “Right Now! Real Kids Speaking Up for Change” and “Empire of Storms.”

Some parents say the books contain content that is not appropriate for children, but the board voted 3 to 2 in March to keep the two books in circulation.

During Thursday’s meeting, one parent told the board, “that’s not a decision that a teacher or librarian should make because every child is different, every parent is different, and it should be squarely on the shoulders of parents to make those decisions for their own children.”

As part of the new policy approved by the board, Mentor Schools will no longer accept donated books, amid what educators say is an organized effort from outside of the district to influence what students see and read.

“I don’t think that we should be involved in deciding politically which side of the aisle the books are coming from because we’re here to educate with our regular curriculum, we’re not here to worry about politics,” said Mentor School Board President Maggie Cook.

As part of the new district policy, parents will also receive email notifications about books their children would like to check out from school libraries, and if they so choose, parents will have the option to say “no” to the request.

“Not only does this policy let parents know exactly what their children are reading, it also gives complete control over what books their children can and cannot read to those parents who want it,” said parent Lyndsie Wall.

Mentor parents will continue to have the right to challenge any book that their children can see or read, but under the new policy, each challenge will be considered by a committee of educators rather than just the superintendent.

A survey by the school district found that 75% of Mentor residents are not concerned about books in the school libraries, but a vocal critic told the board Thursday night that voters will ultimately decide if Mentor Public Schools are maintaining standards that protect children.

The audience applauded after McCormick told the board, “continue to maintain this harmful material and the next levy will fail. We will have an effort to ensure that it does.”

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Fox 8 Cleveland WJW.