Sumner School Board Votes to Keep Challenged Book

Ways to Make Sunshine will remain in Sumner County school libraries

The Sumner County School Board last week unanimously voted to keep the book "Ways to Make Sunshine" in school libraries. The book had been challenged as part of a new process that allows parents and community members to ask that books in school libraries be reviewed for possible removal.

After receiving a challenge to the book "Ways to Make Sunshine," the board referred the book to a review committee.

That committee recommended keeping the book in the system's school libraries.

Local education advocacy group Sumner For Good had encouraged the School Board to keep the book and celebrated the vote that will allow it to stay in libraries.

The group said of the vote:

"The Sumner County School Board voted to uphold the review committee's choice and keep the beautiful story "Ways to Make Sunshine" by Renee Watson in our schools. This is another win for our kids, teachers, librarians, and staff."

The Sumner County School Board has a record of upholding the recommendations of the review committee.

In a previous hearing on a book challenge, the Sumner County School Board voted to uphold the review committee's recommendation and allow a book to remain on library shelves.

Another advocacy group, Right to Read Sumner County, has been created in response to book challenges. That group says it will fight to ensure students have access to resources in school libraries.

The group says:

"We are committed to the idea that every student should have access to historically accurate resources that teach them about the events that have shaped our world. To this end, we support thoughtful and respectful discourse regarding books that are the subject of book ban challenges."

Photo byTom HermansonUnsplash