Catawba County school board changes book challenge policy
The Catawba County School Board has revised its policy on book challenges, no longer requiring a unanimous vote to overturn decisions, following a meeting on February 24.
According to the Hickory Record, the decision was made with a 6-1 vote, with board members Tim Settlemyre, Clayton Mullis, Michelle Teague, Don Sigmon, April Underwood, and David Goforth supporting the change, while Leslie Barnette opposed it.
'I feel like that's in violation of our policy, 3.6110, that says we acknowledge that we are a policy-making board and that we designate our instructional personnel to make decisions regarding instructional and media materials,' Barnette said.
The policy change reverses an amendment from late 2024 that required a unanimous vote to overturn rulings on challenged materials. This amendment was initially suggested by Barnette in June 2024.
ALSO READ: York County Library stops buying books for kids, wants clarity on new funding bill
The policy outlines the process for parents to challenge classroom materials, while the administrative procedure details how to challenge books and media in school libraries.
Barnette expressed concerns that removing the unanimous vote requirement undermines the authority of professional personnel to make decisions about instructional materials.
Michelle Teague, who initiated 24 book challenges before joining the board, argued that the board should be the final decision-maker in the appeals process.
Board members Sigmon and Mullis argued that requiring a unanimous vote would silence the board and that decisions should be made by majority rule, as is standard in other public bodies.
The policy change reflects a shift in how the Catawba County school board will handle book challenges, emphasizing majority rule over unanimous consent.
VIDEO: York County Library stops buying books for kids, wants clarity on new funding bill
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Catawba County school board changes book challenge policy
The Catawba County School Board has revised its policy on book challenges, no longer requiring a unanimous vote to overturn decisions, following a meeting on February 24. According to the Hickory Record, the decision was made with a 6-1 vote, with board members Tim Settlemyre, Clayton Mullis, Michelle Teague, Don Sigmon, April Underwood, and David Goforth supporting the change, while Leslie Barnette opposed it. 'I feel like that's in violation of our policy, 3.6110, that says we acknowledge that we are a policy-making board and that we designate our instructional personnel to make decisions regarding instructional and media materials,' Barnette said. The policy change reverses an amendment from late 2024 that required a unanimous vote to overturn rulings on challenged materials. This amendment was initially suggested by Barnette in June 2024. ALSO READ: York County Library stops buying books for kids, wants clarity on new funding bill The policy outlines the process for parents to challenge classroom materials, while the administrative procedure details how to challenge books and media in school libraries. Barnette expressed concerns that removing the unanimous vote requirement undermines the authority of professional personnel to make decisions about instructional materials. Michelle Teague, who initiated 24 book challenges before joining the board, argued that the board should be the final decision-maker in the appeals process. Board members Sigmon and Mullis argued that requiring a unanimous vote would silence the board and that decisions should be made by majority rule, as is standard in other public bodies. The policy change reflects a shift in how the Catawba County school board will handle book challenges, emphasizing majority rule over unanimous consent. VIDEO: York County Library stops buying books for kids, wants clarity on new funding bill
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