Williamson County Schools bans three more books, restricts two others

"The Perks of Being a Wallflower" by Stephen Chbosky was among three titles banned by Williamson County Schools. (Photo from Amazon)

Members of the Williamson County Board of Education voted to ban three books and restrict access to two others at Monday’s special called meeting, following months of debate between parents and educators about K-12 book bans throughout the state.

WCS Board of Education Member Eric Welch. (Screenshot)

According to documents from the board, the district ultimately decided to ban "Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close by Safran Foer, "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" by Stephen Chbosky, and "Where the Crawdads Sing" by Delia Owens. The board additionally decided to restrict access to "The Field Guide to the North American Teenager" by Ben Philipps and "Speak" by Laurie Halse. Philipps’ novel will now only be available for students in grades 11 and 12, while “Speak” can be accessed by students in grades 9-12.

Board member Eric Welch expressed some apprehension about the decision, despite supporting some restrictions on certain titles generally. He said he believes high school students are mature enough to grapple with sensitive topics.

“These are all books at the high school level only, and in high school, we're preparing young adults to go out into the world and be full-fledged members of society,” he said. “When you start telling me what books my children can't read, that's stepping on my parental rights.”

In response, board member Tony Bostic said there is “no constitutional right to obscenity” in schools.

“You would think it would be obvious, but apparently it's not,” he said.

The move comes as several other districts across the state continue banning books that are deemed inappropriate for K-12 students in order to comply with the Age-Appropriate Materials Act of 2022, which compels schools to remove books that are deemed sexually explicit or otherwise too graphic for K-12 students. Proponents of the law and book bans in general say the goal is to prohibit books with graphic or sexual content, while opponents say the bans are designed to remove books that discuss topics like racism and LGBTQ issues.

WCS Board of Education member Tony Bostic. (Screenshot)

Several local residents spoke to the board during public comments to voice their opposition to the bans and restrictions, echoing criticisms from groups such as the American Civil Liberties Union and others who say book bans violate the First Amendment.  

Among those opposed was Sarah Landing, a local educator and parent who said she believes the bans are a “slippery slope.” She compared the bans to burning the library of Alexandria.  

“We teach skills aligned with standards, but we also call on the muses to teach empathy, resilience, and the beauty of redemption. I think of one text that describes all sorts of horrors, including violent crucifixion,” she said.

Other local residents like Bill Petty urged the board to comply with state law.

“You have to follow the law. You have to follow the guidance. It's spelled out, and it's explicit,” he said. “I expect that to happen, and I'm sure it will.”

Olivia Carroll, a current WCS student, opposed the restrictions against the book “Speak,” which tells the story of a student who loses their ability to speak after being sexually assaulted.  She said books like these remind many students who have been traumatized that they are not alone.

“I encourage the school board to not silence the voices of characters that while fictional, represent the experience of far too many people,” she said during public comments.

According to recent news reports, Wilson County has so far voted to remove 425 book titles from its schools. Schools in neighboring Rutherford County have also removed over 150 books from school libraries in recent weeks, such as “A Clockwork Orange” by Anthony Burgess, “Beloved” by Toni Morrison, “Wicked” by Gregory Maguire, and “The Perks of Being a Wallflower.”

To view Monday’s WCS Board of Education meeting, visit the district’s YouTube channel.