The Williamson County Board of Education is under pressure to finalize its policy for the review and removal of library materials by July 1, following changes to the Age Appropriate Materials Act by the Tennessee General Assembly. Board members are expressing concerns about the practicality and constitutionality of the new law, which prohibits materials containing certain content from being accessible to K-12 students. Some board members worry that historically significant books like Alex Haley’s “Roots” may have to be removed under the new policy. Additionally, the law requires the periodic review of all library materials, which poses a challenge for the school system with over 600,000 unique materials in their libraries. Board member Rick Wimberly questioned the feasibility of reviewing even a fraction of these materials each year. The board will hold another work session before taking a final vote on the policy next week. It remains to be seen how the school board will navigate the complexities of balancing compliance with the new law while ensuring students’ access to a diverse range of educational materials.
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Tennessee school board works to find a middle ground between 1st Amendment rights and state book review regulations
