One thing members of the Hernando County School Board can count on is that, from time to time, parents will challenge the appropriateness of library books their children are reading. Such objections are so inevitable that a few years ago the School Board created a system for settling the disputes.
The board acted responsibly by creating a diverse ad hoc committee of educators and community representatives to review questionable books and advise the board, through the superintendent, of its findings. The system seemed to work, but a recent complaint filed by the parents of a Spring Hill Elementary School fourth-grade student has revealed a substantial flaw, one that should compel the board to clarify its policy as soon as possible.
Curriculum specialist Elaine Wooten, acting on behalf of superintendent Wendy Tellone, has refused to disclose the names of the committee members, or where and when they will meet to discuss Deenie, a 30-year-old book by prolific children's author Judy Blume. Wooten and School Board Attorney Karen Gaffney maintain that the committee can meet in secret to form its opinion. The Times has contested that position, and Circuit Court Judge Jack Springstead issued an order Tuesday that temporarily prohibits the committee from convening.
Blume's book, about a 13-year-old girl who has scoliosis, contains two passages about masturbation. The parents of the advanced reading student believe it is inappropriate material for elementary school children.
It is reasonable to question the book's content and whether it should be available for checkout by younger students. That's precisely why the board created its policy and authorized the superintendent to form a district-level committee made up of a curriculum specialist, an administrator, two teachers, a parent, a student, an at-large member from the community and a public library system employee.
But an essential component of that review should include allowing the public to hear how the committee members reached their conclusions. In most instances, the committee's recommendation carries weight with School Board members, who ultimately will decide whether to put Deenie back on the shelf at the Spring Hill Elementary library.
Allowing residents to hear the debate ensures the matter is considered thoroughly and fairly, while providing an opportunity for understanding. Closing the door to the committee's deliberations opens the door to skepticism and criticism.
As soon as possible, the School Board should instruct its superintendent and part-time attorney to stop blocking the door to open government, and refine its policy to clearly state that the district-level committees are subject to the state's open meeting laws.
Secretiveness breeds suspicion and it is contrary to the public's wishes, particularly regarding issues that have such widespread interest. The board should correct this administrative misstep before it mushrooms, and focus its energy on the more pertinent question of the book's content.
