Does SDW Want Transparency? Or Censorship?
As a parent in the School District of Waukesha, I’m concerned with the SDW’s suggested policy 9130.01: Complaints Concerning Educational Materials/Library Materials.
The current policy lists the procedures for the consideration process of removing materials, specifying it’s an open forum where the public can make comments. However, under the suggested changes, this procedure is no longer required to be an open forum, meaning it doesn’t need to be made public. Anyone opposed to the removal of materials from the library wouldn’t be aware they’re being removed. How can someone appeal to the removal of materials when it’s not public knowledge? After the school board passed the resolution for Parental Rights and Transparency, this suggested policy contradicts the resolution they voted into effect last month.
Another concern with the procedure no longer being part of the suggested policy is if someone wanted to change the procedure it could happen without voting at the public board meeting. By removing the procedure from the policy, you remove the transparency from the public. With the ability to make changes unannounced to the public, the board and administration could hide what they’re doing regarding educational and library materials. Again, this contradicts the Parental Rights and Transparency resolution.
What’s most concerning is the ease for someone to censor material based on bigoted beliefs under the guise of protecting children, thus removing material geared toward marginalized students without the public being the wiser. A parent may censor their own child, but that’s where the line needs to be drawn. No one should limit anyone else’s kids simply because they disagree with the content.
If the board truly believes in parental transparency, as per their resolution, they need to put the procedure for the consideration process back into the policy and make it an open forum.
-Renee Messerschmidt
