GRAND RAPIDS, Mich — It's a discussion happening across the country, and now potential book bans are being talked about in another West Michigan school district.
FOX 17 has learned that Northview Public Schools in Grand Rapids is planning to meet this week to consider pulling eight books from its school shelves.
In a letter sent home to families on Monday, the district explained they received a request from a concerned citizen to remove the books, which are available to 7th through 12th grade students.
The district also explains in the letter that the books in question are not required, but are part of the student choice reading section.
The 8 books that will be reviewed by the district are:
- Kingdom of Ash by Sarah J. Mass
- Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic by Alison Bechdel
- Push by Sapphire
- All Boys Aren't Blue by George M Johnson
- Lawn Boy by Jonathan Evison
- Tricks by Ellen Hopkins
- Me, Earl, and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews
- The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
Some of the books in question discuss things like parental sexual abuse, racism and LGBTQ+ issues.
A committee is set to meet on Wednesday to talk about the titles, and where things move from here.
Officials told FOX 17 that the review process will take several weeks, and that the interim superintendent will make their decision following that.
When asked about the discussion regarding potential book bans, the district issued the following statement:
“At Northview Public Schools, we are dedicated to fostering and maintaining a strong partnership with the community we are proud to serve. As part of this commitment, the Board of Education has thoughtfully established a set of policies, guidelines and procedures designed to review instructional materials across the district. Having recently received a request from a community member to remove eight books available to students in grades 7-12 for optional reading, the district has established a complaint review committee, under Board Policy 9130, to review the books in question. The committee - consisting of members of the community, staff members, and two Board members - will conduct a thorough review of each book and present their recommendation to the interim superintendent. In our dedication to ensuring transparency, we will keep parents informed throughout the review process.”
Wednesday's meeting is not open to the public. However, the district says parents and others with concerns are welcome to voice those during the public comment portions of the school board meetings.
