FRANKLIN, Tenn. (WTVF) — It's a controversy both here in Tennessee and across the country -- the books inside school libraries.
As Governor Lee has signed a bill into law requiring schools to ensure their books are all age-appropriate, Williamson County Schools said this week it has temporarily removed a digital library app that gives students access to thousands of books. Williamson County Schools said it is reviewing the app, called Epic! to make sure its internet filters are appropriately screening content. The district says so far, it hasn't found any content that should be blocked for all students.
Meanwhile on Thursday, the group Red Wine and Blue held a virtual banned book read-in, featuring guests from across the country, including Williamson County mom Revida Rahman.
"They are focusing on a lot of states that have book bans and different laws in place to silence authors and not show perspectives of this diverse country we live in," Rahman said.
Robin Steenman, with the group Moms for Liberty Williamson County, says parents should have the say about what material goes in front of their child, pointing to an alphabet book she says was available on the Epic! app
"It was actually called The Gay-B-C's, and it's presented to kids as young as kindergartners," Steenman said.
Reading from the book, Steenman said, "H is for hope but I is for intersex, and what parent wants to explain intersex to a child who doesn't even know sex?"
"We're not making a statement on LGBTQ at all, but it's a parents right of when to show this material to their child, especially a 5 year old," Steenman said.
