LEBANON, Tenn. (WTVF) — A significant wave of book removals has hit Wilson County public schools, with over 400 titles pulled from library shelves since July 1. This decision comes in response to a state law that restricts access to books containing references to sex and violence, sparking concerns among parents and educators alike.
Among the titles removed are well-known children’s books like Dr. Seuss’ Wacky Wednesday and the popular No, David.
Former librarian and parent Lindsay Patrick-Wright, whose child is enrolled in Wilson County Schools, expressed her dismay over the changes.
"We've managed to keep the books in the school system, and this law has forced our school board and our schools to pull these books that we fought so hard to keep in the schools."
The an amendment to the law mandates the removal of books that contain graphic content deemed inappropriate for school-aged children.
The law has support from Republican lawmakers and some parents arguing we must protect children from obscene and violent materials.
Under the former guidelines, if a book was challenged, a committee would review it to determine if it should be moved to a mature reading list. Now, many districts, including Wilson County, are opting to remove books preemptively to avoid potential scrutiny.
A survey conducted by the Tennessee Association of School Librarians indicated a varied response among its members. About 25% of the 600 members reported that some are waiting for challenges before reviewing books, while others have been instructed to quietly remove any titles that might attract negative attention. This inconsistency has left many school staff feeling confused about the new policies.
Titles removed from the libraries range from Pinkalicious and It’s Christmas, David to The Fault in Our Stars.
"But the ones that really sadden me are the more modern books that have been pulled from our school systems, because by and large, those books feature the beautiful diversity that we have in Wilson County," said Patrick-Wright.
Jeff Luttrell, director of Wilson County Schools released the list of the more than 425 books pulled from shelves during Thursday's board meeting.
He thanked his library staff for their hard work during this time.
"Our librarians have worked extremely hard and difficult work to try to determine the materials how they can align with state law. And that’s what they have done," Luttrell said.
The listof books can be found under the director's report on the school board agenda.
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