School board president wants public meeting for book debate
Posted on Friday, August 26, 2005
Fayetteville School Board president Steve Percival on Thursday evening outlined a plan to address and hopefully resolve the ongoing debate about the content of certain books in school libraries.
First, the district would hold a town hall-style meeting in the high school auditorium to allow district patrons with multiple views to express their opinions.
Afterwards, the board would hold a special meeting to consider all the input and take action that would address the issue.
Percival made his proposal at the board's regular meeting Thursday.
Content of certain school library books has been an issue since the spring, when local resident Laurie Taylor began campaigning for the removal of sexually explicit books from the general circulation at school libraries. Taylor had two children in the public schools last year, but she is now home-schooling them.
Percival lamented that the issue is dragging on too long.
The board needs to hear from the public, the librarians and school attorney then make a thoughtful decision on what changes, if any, to make to the district's policy, he said. "I like the idea of a town hall meeting, then a special meeting,"board member Laura Underwood said.
The meetings were not immediately scheduled, but Percival said he wanted to hold them before the next regular board meeting on Sept. 24.
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