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Montana School-Book Challenges Complicate Policy ReviewChallenges to four books at Lockwood Middle School in Billings, Montana, may impact the school’s challenged-book review policy—itself already under scrutiny as part of the school’s scheduled assessment of the library curriculum.Three books—The Vanishing Hitchhiker: American Urban Legends by Jan Harold Brunvand, and Alligators in the Sewer and Urban Legends, both by Thomas J. Craughwell—were removed from the school library in December after a challenge by parent Becky Malenowsky, according to the March 15 Billings Gazette. Lockwood Middle School Librarian Johanna Freivalds told American Libraries that the books were removed because they did not adequately match the school’s book-selection criteria due to the nature of some sexually explicit sections. “Because of those books, a group of parents developed a sudden interest in looking at the books in the library,” Freivalds told AL. Malenowsky challenged a fourth book, The Guy Book: An Owner’s Manual by Mavis Jukes, a book written for boys approaching puberty that includes information on sexual development and other sex-related topics, which was reviewed and retained in January. Under current policy, the school’s superintendent reviews challenged books and decides if the school should keep them. The parents wanted to institute a selection committee, which was discussed at the school board’s March 14 meeting, but no decision was made. Instead, the board is considering a policy under which the school superintendent would convene a reconsideration review committee to examine challenged books. As currently proposed, the committee would include one school administrator, one librarian, one teacher, and one parent appointed by the superintendent. However, Freivalds said that parents were uncomfortable with the committee representation, and school board members proposed amending the plan to include two parents, chosen from a list of those who sign up for the committee at the school’s Family Resource Center. The proposed policy must be read at three board meetings before approval to allow for public input. The next meetings will be held April 11 and May 9. Posted March 17, 2006. |
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