More books challenged at Hernando County School Board

BROOKSVILLE (Suncoast News) – The final School Board meeting of the year on Tuesday, Dec. 12, will feature more book challenges, with some being recommended for keeping and others for removal.

All challenges came from the group Moms for Liberty.

The books challenged but recommended for keeping include:

· “Drama,” by Raina Telgemeier. This book is being challenged at Westside Elementary School. The committee voted 5-2 to recommend to the superintendent that the book remain available in the library in the young adult section and require parental consent for checkout.

· “The Hate U Give,” by Angie Thomas. This book is being challenged at Challenger K-8. The recommendation was 6-1 in favor of keeping the book for checkout with parental permission.

· “Push,” by Sapphire. This book is being challenged at Central High School. The committee voted 3-2 to recommend to the superintendent that the book remain available and require parental permission. The committee’s recommendation is that the book stay in circulation in a special section requiring parental consent and available for those 18 years old (housed in library).

· “Beloved,” by Toni Morrison. This book originally was challenged at Central High School and the results of that committee also determine the challenges for Nature Coast Technical, Springstead, and Weeki Wachee High Schools. Central High School’s Review Committee met on Oct. 11 and Oct. 20 to discuss a citizen’s request for school reconsideration of the book. The committee voted 4-1 to recommend to the superintendent that the book stay in circulation in Hernando County Schools. The committee’s response was “keep the book based on historical background” and “all historical content.”

· “The Lovely Bones,” by Alice Sebold. This book is being challenged at Springstead High School, Nature Coast Technical High School, Central High School and Winding Waters K8. “The Lovely Bones” was originally challenged at Springstead High School and the results of that committee also determine the challenges for Nature Coast Technical High School, Central High School and Winding Waters K8. Springstead High School’s Review committee met on Oct. 25 and Nov. 1 to discuss a citizen’s request for school reconsideration of the book. The committee voted 6-1 to recommend to the superintendent that the book stay in circulation in Hernando County Schools. The committee’s response was “this book should be available through parental permission to all students.”

The books challenged and recommended for removal are:

· “A Court of Frost and Starlight,” by Sarah J. Maas. This book is being challenged at Central High School. The committee voted 5-0 to recommend to the superintendent that the book be removed from circulation. The committee stated that “One scene at the end that is too graphic for school setting and felt the book had no literary value.”

· “The Bluest Eye,” by Toni Morrison. The committee voted 7-0 to recommend to the superintendent that the book be removed from circulation in Hernando County Schools. The committee recommends that “the book be removed from school media centers; however, it should be available for college level courses and/or adult students as we see literary value in this book.”

· “The Handmaid’s Tale: Graphic Novel” by Margaret Atwood (adapted by Renee Nault). Hernando High School’s review committee met on Oct. 27 and Nov. 3 to discuss a citizen’s request for school reconsideration of the book, “The Handmaid’s Tale: Graphic Novel.” The committee voted 4-1 to recommend to the superintendent that the book be removed from circulation in Hernando County Schools.