Rutherford County school board votes to remove and restrict several more titles from school libraries

“I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter” by Erika L. Sanchez was among the titles banned by Rutherford County Schools leaders. (Photo from Amazon)

The book ban debate continued to rage at Thursday’s Rutherford County Schools (RCS) Board of Education meeting, when school board members ultimately voted to remove several more books from school library shelves.

According to documents from the board, district leaders voted to remove “Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe” by Benjamin Alire Sáenz, “Looking for Alaska” by John Green, “I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter” by Erika L. Sanchez, “Concrete Rose” by Angie Thomas, “Vampire Academy” by Richelle Mead, and “Eleanor and Park” by Rainbow Rowell. In addition, the board voted to retain “Shiver” by Maggie Stiefvater and allow parental permission for “Heroine” by Mindy McGuinness, “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before” by Jenny Han, and “Monday’s Not Coming” by Tiffany Jackson. Jackson’s novel was only approved for juniors and seniors in high school.

The vote followed months of debate both locally and at school districts across the state about how schools should comply with state laws such as the Age-Appropriate Materials Act of 2022 that instructs school districts to remove books with inappropriate or sexual content.

Local bookstore owner Lindsay Schultz expresses opposition to recent book bans at Thursday’s Rutherford County school board meeting. Behind her to the left is Rutherford County Library Alliance Vice President Keri Lambert, another vocal opponent of recent book bans. (Screenshot)

Much of this debate came to a head when the RCS school board voted in September to remove six books from school libraries, which included classics such as “Beloved,” a Pulitzer-Prize winning novel from Toni Morrison about the horrors of slavery; “The Perks of Being a Wallflower,” a coming-of-age novel by Stephen Chbosky; and “Wicked” by Gregory Maguire, a novel which retells the “Wizard of Oz.”

Board member Caleb Tidwell, who has been leading the charge to flag certain books for review by the board, said that the goal of recent book removals is to “come to a conclusion based on the law.” He said he agreed with an idea put forth by board members like Frances Rosales to allow parental consent for some titles.

“As far as what can be removed and what can’t, I feel like we have threaded that needle very carefully, and I would like to continue that,” he said. “I think you have to look at every [book] individually.”

While there was some degree of compromise among board members about restrictions on certain titles, some parents and community members continued to vehemently express their opposition to recent district book bans.

Opponents continued to argue that they believe recent book removals violate the First Amendment. The book bans have also been met with similar criticisms from groups such as the American Civil Liberties Union and others who believe the bans are designed to remove books that discuss topics like racism and LGBTQ+ issues.

Among those who spoke out during Thursday’s public comments was bookstore owner Lindsay Schultz, who returned to the board alongside the Rutherford County Library Alliance, to advocate for the “freedom to read and learn.” She called ongoing book ban efforts “troubling.”

“When books are banned, it’s not just pages that are being removed, it’s perspectives, identities, and it’s opportunities for growth that are being stripped away,” she said, adding that some books are “lifelines for students who feel unheard and unseen.”