One of the largest school districts in Pennsylvania, Central Bucks, has passed a controversial policy change that could lead to the removal of books from the schools' shelves.
The board of the Central Bucks School District voted in favor of the new policy 6-3 Tuesday night.
Opponents, including members of the ACLU, called it a “book ban” as they rallied in Doylestown Tuesday afternoon. But the Central Bucks School District said that’s not the true story.
The district said the new policy will give them a way to protect new books as they are added to the educational system. It would allow a reviewing process to occur if a parent or guardian objected to the content or images in the book.
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“This policy is rooted in developing a process to prioritize age-appropriate content and material that is aligned with our curriculum and really expresses the diversity of our students experiences,” Central Bucks School District superintendent Dr. Abe Lucabaugh said.
Lucabaugh said if a book is removed, it will be replaced with a similar book covering the same topic.
Critics said it is a way to censor, and fear it targets certain populations. They are also concerned with who makes up the committee and how they are chosen.
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The ACLU responded to the possible policy change stating, “when and if Central Bucks schools start pulling books off of the shelves, the school district can count on a fight.”
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