Voices of Elk Grove – EGUSD Trustees urged to resist removal of books from school libraries; ‘Books are heroes’
Throughout 2023, the Elk Grove Unified School District has been barraged with criticism. One of the many complaints trustees have endured has been about books in the district’s school libraries that several people have called pornographic.
While the trustees have been chastised, they have also occasionally been defended. During the Tuesday, August 8, 2023, meeting, one person offered support against repeated calls for book bans.
During public comment on non-agenda items, a person identifying herself as Stacey said books can assist readers in several ways, including acting as a window or mirror for youth. Stacey noted books like Toni Morrison’s The Bluest Eye, which has been repeatedly targeted for book bans, as the type of book that can act as a mirror and aid children.
During her commentary, Stacey noted how one book that others might call pornographic led to the conviction of a parent who was molesting his child. Her entire commentary can be viewed in the video.
Although the number of people urging book bans during public comment at trustees’ meetings has diminished, some speakers continued pushing for removing books they found objectionable from school libraries during the Tuesday night meeting.
