Parents who want to allow their students to read one of 16 books in Polk school libraries challenged by a conservative group will have to have their students opt-in using an online form, according to a process presented at a school board work session Tuesday.
Superintendent Frederick Heid on Tuesday outlined his procedures for parents to grant or withhold permission for their students to read certain books. The 16 books were recently reviewed by district review boards after school board members and a local group called the books pornographic or harmful.
The school board was not scheduled to vote on Heid’s procedure, and little was discussed about the procedure.
“There’s no vote on that,” Heid said. “There’s nothing else before the board, we’ve been talking about that topic for a while for the last six to eight months.”
None of the board members commented on the proceedings. Nor were public comments part of a workshop meeting before Tuesday’s plenary session.
Procedures for inclusion or exclusion are included in school board members’ packets with agendas for workshops and meetings.
As per the procedure, parents can give permission for students to check out one of the disputed books through their parent portal account by completing a disclaimer.
“Of the 16 titles screened in 2022, only those student-level titles will currently appear” and parents must check the box next to the title if they want to allow their students to view the book, according to the procedure.
The school district also offers parents the option of opting their children out of reading any books in school libraries.
In late 2021, the conservative group County Citizens Defending Freedom identified 16 books the group said were objectionable and were available at PCPS media centers, the Ledger previously reported.
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Although none of the books are required reading in the district, CCDF said the books are “harmful to children” or meet the definition of pornography under Florida State Statutes 847.001 and 847.012. Distribution of pornography to minors is a felony of the third degree.
As a result, each of the two committees reviewed the eight challenged books. Committee members included academics, media experts, English teachers, parents and child psychologists, among other adults and high school students.
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The committees recommended that all 16 books remain in media centers in at least some grades.
The new process will be available for parents to opt in or out from August 1-15 and again from January 1-15.
If students transfer or enroll outside of the two windows, parents will be directed to contact the school library media specialist to add their information to the system.
Library staff will receive training on how to access the information. The books from the 2022 show will be located behind the circulation desk.
