A new survey study from the Applied Social Research Lab at East Tennessee State University indicates that 56 percent of Tennesseans believe the state is “headed in the wrong direction.” Respondents cited concerns over the economy, as well as a divide over Tennessee school districts’ efforts to ban inappropriate books from school libraries.

A handful of local residents spoke to the Rutherford County Board of Education Thursday to express their support and opposition to a recent decision by the board to ban six books from school libraries.