BILLINGS - New laws involving school libraries led to the School District 2 board to review its library book policies.
The school board looked over some of its policies including the proposed library book policy, which is following the Montana School Boards Association recommendations.
After several months, the school board decided to consider the model policy from the association and approved it its first of three readings.
“It is a review that did two things to make sure that we were meshing with state law,” said Scott McCulloch, Billings Public School board chair.
McCulloch asked the administration to include the correct language to make the current procedure legal.
“They have changed some of the definitions that were involved with the obscenity law and they also changed the applications of purchasing policy,” McCulloch said. “So those kinds of things will be reflected by the work we do.”
Some parents want librarians to choose library books.
“I don't think that we should be going into our schools and libraries and telling our librarians how to do their jobs,” said Clementine Lindley, a parent.
Others have concerns with the proposed policy.
“Exposing minors to sexually explicit material hurts them,” Addie Bedford, a parent, said in a written statement emailed to Q2. “And I want that to stop and be prevented from occurring in the future.”
One board member offered an amendment and wanted to eliminate the statements about the superintendent delegating the selection of library materials to the principal and the principal delegating that authority to librarians.
“The board may not be permitted to delegate that responsibility as section 204 is currently written, that's per our expert legal counsel,” Brooke Wagner, trustee, read from an email sent to her by the school district’s attorney.
The board voted not to eliminate those statements and also voted against some other proposed changes to the school board's association model policy.
McCullouch wants to leave that selection to the librarians.
“Purchasing policy has to rely on somebody else to review those and the most logical place for that to occur is with librarians,” McCulloch said.
It's a discussion that may continue with two more readings at two more meetings.
“I'm going read to you the definition of obscenity,” Alba Pimental, a parent, read in front of the board. “It is offensive or disgusting by accepted standards of morality.”
“I trust your decisions and I hope that you continue to support each other,” Lindley said to the board.
