ROARING SPRING — The addition of a 30-day window during which Spring Cove School District board members could review newly purchased library books prior to their being placed into circulation was the center of debate during Monday’s board meeting.

The review window would be added to the district’s current policy 109, titled “Resource Materials,” which states that the board will “by an affirmative vote of a majority of the full board, provide resource materials that implement, support and enrich the educational program of district schools.”

The first reading of the updated policy was approved during the board’s January meeting, while its second and final reading will be voted on during the board’s Feb. 18 meeting.

Board President Troy Wright said he wanted to make sure he had the current process right, saying the librarian selected books they thought would be beneficial, ran them through three separate apps to make sure they don’t contain anything inappropriate, were then approved by the building’s principal and finally by the superintendent. If anyone has an issue with a book, they go to a committee for a ruling.

“What this policy that we’re voting on next time is, we’re going to do that, but then the board is going to look at the books to decide if they’re appropriate,” Wright said.

Superintendent Betsy Baker said the only change would be the addition of the 30-day window, and if a board member has an issue with a book, it would go to the committee.

Board member Kevin Smith said he saw the updated policy as an “extra protection” against “age inappropriate” books.

“We have the right as the board to make decisions without being told that we’re disrespecting teachers or librarians as well,” Smith said.

Wright said he worries about the rights of parents and students being potentially overridden by the decisions of the board.

“My problem here is though, if a future board would be very dominant to, let’s say, a certain religion or a certain belief and say ‘let’s take over’ and ‘we don’t believe there should be any of these books,'” Wright said.

That would take away the freedom of choice between a student and parent to read certain books because certain board members don’t believe in them, Wright said.

“I want to be able to say, ‘my child should be able to read that book,'” Wright said.

Board member Gretchen Bettwy said she didn’t see it that way, and it’s not that they don’t trust others “because everyone has their expertise.”

“If you want to come look, come look, but you’re not required to,” Bettwy said. “And if there’s a concern, it goes through other people as a committee.”

Board Vice President Amy Acker-Knisely said her concern was if updating the policy would be the end, or “we’re going to review what we’re singing in the music class, we’re going to review what kids sing at the choral concert, or ‘I don’t really care for that musical that’s going to be performed.'”

Board member Misti Fisher said when a song is on the board’s agenda, she’ll want to know “what’s in that” but “that’s not on our specific agenda list to vote on.”

Acker-Knisely disagreed, saying it’s all a part of the district’s curriculum.

Board solicitor Jennifer Dambeck encouraged the board to reread the education lawsuit analysis on curriculum versus library books that she had distributed, as there are “First Amendment considerations” when it comes to the review of library books.

Mirror Staff Writer Rachel Foor is at 814-946-7458.