Where do SPS board candidates stand on banning, restricting library books?

There has been a dramatic spike in parent-led challenges to school library books in Missouri and across the U.S. in the past two years.

The debate over “banning” books is part of the ongoing culture war, playing out in public schools and school board meetings, and includes repeated efforts to remove or restrict books. Overwhelmingly, the types of books challenged deal with racism, sexuality, gender identity and bullying.

Springfield’s school board has not voted to remove or restrict any books — two challenges in 2021 were rejected by nearly all board members — but a growing number of area districts, from Nixa to Willard, have taken steps to limit or remove access to books in either the middle or high schools.

A state law passed in 2022 includes language restricting “explicit sexual material” from schools, prompting librarians in some districts to pull books from shelves and review them to avoid possible criminal charges.

This year, the News-Leader asked each school board candidate — Judy Brunner, Landon McCarter, Chad Rollins and Shurita Thomas-Tate — under what circumstances they would vote to remove or restrict curriculum or school library books.

A similar question, focused on who should be making decisions about what books are available, was asked recently in interviews by the Informed Voter Coalition, made up of nonpartisan groups including the News-Leader.

The following is an amalgamation of answers each candidate gave to the question about banning books.

More:Textbooks and technology: Candidates for SPS board weigh in on finding balance

Judy Brunner

Brunner, a retired Springfield principal and educator, said when the issue of banning books comes up she tries to listen carefully to what people are actually saying. “I really pride myself on not living in some sort of echo chamber where I only listen to people of like-mind, whatever that is.”

“When you hear the words ‘book’ and ‘ban’ together it excites people, in one way or the other. People have strong opinions about that and I respect it,” she said.

She said in listening, she believes parents and educators are really saying “let’s make sure that the books in a school building, in a public library, wherever kids might encounter them, let’s make sure that they are age appropriate and I have no problem with that. I think books should be age appropriate.”

Brunner said restrictions can occasionally backfire, noting that in many years of working with older students she learned “one of the quickest ways to encourage a high school student to read a book is to tell them not to read it.”

She said “parents need to have a voice” and noted there is a mechanism set up in Springfield schools that allows the parent to request their child not read certain books, texts or participate in specific assignments related to any of that material. “We’re respectful of that and alternatives are provided.”

Landon McCarter

McCarter, a business owner and entrepreneur, said he is in favor of bringing books into the classroom. “Technology is overtaking too much, too young.”

He added that he supports “pen and paper and actual written curriculum and written books. I am not in favor of slapping a Chromebook in front of a kindergartner.”

McCarter said he has not been “very vocal” in the past about the topic of curriculum and books and what is allowed. “I don’t really think it’s that complex of a situation.”

He is opposed to providing “sexual content” to students at a young age. “That seems to be a no-brainer to me that most people are on board with.”

McCarter said a “very easy solution” to the issue could be to “rate our books, just like we do our movies, and then allow parents to decide which rating of book they would allow their child to potentially be privy to.”

He said common sense is needed in deciding which books are allowed. “I am in favor of more information, not less. I’m not afraid of the boogie man that may be in the public school library.”

In the News-Leader interview, he said the district should not be “in the business of banning anything” unless it is “completely inappropriate, sexually explicit.”

“Let’s just protect the Springfield public school library from that stuff,” he said.

More:Behind closed doors, Springfield school board rejected two book ban attempts in 2021

Chad Rollins

Rollins, a pharmacist, said he is not in favor of banning books. “I’m for looking at a different solution and I think that parents do want … informed consent.”

“I’d be all for changing that around to a rating system to where parents would be informed and then they could make decisions on what their kids are going to be able to have access to and read and learn from because I am a pro-freedom person and I think that the freedom of that choice lies with the parents.”

Shurita Thomas-Tate

Thomas-Tate, as associate professor at Missouri State University, said parents ought to be engaged with what their children are reading in school and checking out of the library.

“That doesn’t mean that parents should have the right to ban other children from reading materials that they don’t want their children reading,” she said.

“Parents should parent and that includes knowing what your child is engaging in, knowing what your child is reading. If you don’t want your child to read something then you have the right to not allow your child to individually read that but I don’t think parents should be making choices for all other parents.”

She added: “Books should be available. Books are information. Books provide knowledge.”

In an interview with the News-Leader, Thomas-Tate said one of the benefits of living in a democratic society is the protection of individual freedoms.

“In a public setting, we should have access to different kinds of varied materials and books,” she said. “Parents can opt out of curriculum now, for their child, but they should not have the ability to opt out for all students because they do not want it for their children.”

Claudette Riley covers education for the News-Leader. Email tips and story ideas to criley@news-leader.com.