How new laws are changing Colorado school policies on religion, library materials

CBS News

a day ago

Books covering themes like race, sexual orientation, gender identity, and political or religious beliefs are staying on library shelves in Boulder County but your student may not have to read them. The night before the first bell of the school year rings for Boulder Valley School District, the school board approved a policy change that allows students and parents to opt out of curriculum covering controversial themes with no questions asked.
However, the new policies also allow books and materials to stay accessible for all students. This shift in policy follows a June Supreme Court ruling requiring schools to provide parents the option to excuse their child from class when course material conflicts with religious beliefs. At the center of that case was the Montgomery County school system in Maryland.
Parents sued the school board seeking to opt their elementary school kids out of class when reading material with LGBTQ characters. Parents argued that the fact they couldn't opt their kids out violated the First Amendment, and in a 6-to-3 decision, the justices agreed. That ruling is now impacting schools nationwide.
Boulder County is one of the state's first school districts to adopt new policies after the Supreme Court ruling, but they didn't exclusively include a new opt-out option for parents. The new policies mean parents have more of a say in what their child learns about in class, but they also protect those resources in the library for other students to use.
In 2020, B.J. and Brecken Jones sued the Boulder Valley School District in Colorado with a similar claim as the June ruling about a desire to opt their child out of lessons. Today, Jones celebrates the new opt-out policy but sent a statement reacting to the policies around general material access in part, "BVSD appears to be delegating more educational content decisions to activist "'educators' and away from parents, families, and the community."
Meanwhile, some teachers tell CBS Colorado they're worried these policies are forcing them to think more like a lawyer than an educator, and worry about possible added work if consistent replacement assignments are needed for students who opt out.
Tuesday's policies are some of the first changes since the 1980s. On Tuesday, the school board explained they're trying to thread the needle between following federal decisions and supporting access to materials that discuss things like gender, race, and sexuality.
"I think for us it's important for our educators that they know that they're supported, and they know clearly what the rights of parents are as determined by the Supreme Court," BVSD Superintendent Rob Anderson said.
The new BVSD policies also mean librarians will have more say about what goes on their shelves.
These changes separate what's taught in the classroom and can be opted out of by parents from what's available to read at the library.
Rae Ciciora is the District Library Coordinator for BVSD, and she explained that, in following the new Colorado law, book challenges or complaints about what's on the shelf must also now come from someone with a direct connection to a school or neighborhood rather than anyone with a concern.
"It's limited to a parent or a community member in that school neighborhood, so that that group from Virginia can't come in and complain about our books and our libraries, only our students, families, and communities can complain about a book," Ciciora said.
In the 2025 regular session, Senate Bill 25-063 became law and now requires many of these protections, alongside BVSD's policy affirming a librarian's choice in content.
"I don't feel as exposed as I did last year with all of the administration that's you know, all the changes that are happening with the administration, and some of the movements that have come from out of state requesting, 'What titles are you having in your school libraries? We think we might want to pull some of those titles,'" Ciciora said, "This is giving me a sense of we are actually protected. Not just I know they've got my back, but the policy has our back."
Board members expect to keep talking about these policies and get feedback from the public as the year continues.
Meanwhile, some teachers tell CBS Colorado they hope it won't have too much of an impact on their day-to-day lessons.
Superintendent Dr. Anderson also says that while BVSD may be one of the first to make these changes, he expects other schools to follow as the year begins. Senate Bill 25-063 also mandates that schools have written policies about library resources by Sept. 1.