The Williamson County Board of Education has made the decision to pull three books from its school library shelves, while placing restrictions on two others. The move follows a state law that requires educational materials to be deemed appropriate for the age and maturity of students.
During a special meeting, the board voted to remove "Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close," "Perks of Being a Wallflower," and "Where the Crawdads Sing," with the reasons for their removal citing explicit content. As reported by WSMV, these books were considered not suitable within the educational mission of Williamson County Schools (WCS).
Additionally, "The Field Guide to the North American Teenager" will only be available to students in 11th and 12th grade, while "Speak" will be accessible only in high schools. This information was corroborated by multiple outlets, including FOX17, which highlighted that the board is adhering to the stipulations of the "Age Appropriate Materials Act of 2022" that was passed earlier.
Prior to the vote, WCS welcomed public discourse, dedicating 30 minutes for community input. "Removing these books does not ban them," one citizen expressed, as noted by WKRN. "Removing these books simply empowers those ultimately responsible for those responsible for a child’s education." Another community member voiced concern over the law's broad nature and potential constitutional issues, stating, "It covers way too many topics and if you remove books based on the law, we will be trampling on the rights of students."
Despite the removals and restrictions going into effect, Williamson County School Board member Melissa Wyatt found the titles consistent and appropriate within the district's educational mission, according to WKRN. Echoing this sentiment, school board member Eric Welch argued that some of the challenged books aren't harmful, but rather supportive of "the educational mission." As the dust settles on this recent vote, the impact of these changes on the broader educational landscape of Williamson County remains a point of monitoring for educators, students, and families alike.
