001GOOD MORNING. WELCOME TO LAS CRUCES PUBLIC SCHOOLS' BOARD OF EDUCATION SPECIAL SESSION. TODAY IS FRIDAY DECEMBER 8, 2023. TIME IS NOW 9:05 A.M. WE'RE HERE TODAY FOR A HEARING APPEAL UNDER POLICY KEC AND REGULATIONS KEC-R AND KEF-R OF SUPERINTENDENT DECISION TO DENY REMOVAL OF LIBRARY BOOK. BY WAY OF INTRODUCTION, I WANT TO STATE THAT THIS SPECIAL BOARD EDUCATION IS TO CONDUCT -- ACTUALLY, DO WE NEED TO DO...? OKAY. BY WAY OF INTRODUCTION, I WANT TO STATE THAT THIS SPECIAL BOARD EDUCATION IS TO CONDUCT A HEARING APPEAL OF THE SUPERINTENDENT'S DECISION TO DENY A REQUEST BY MS. SARAH SMITH AND MR. JUAN GARCIA TO REMOVE THE BOOK "JACK OF HEARTS (AND OTHER PARTS)" BY L.C. ROSEN FROM THE MAYFIELD HIGH SCHOOL LIBRARY. THE COMPLAINT WAS FILED ON AUGUST 10, 2023 BY SARAH SMITH ON FORM KEF-E1
002AS REQUIRED BY REGULATION KEC-R AND KEF-R AND LISTS SARAH SMITH AND JUAN GARCIA AS THE PERSONS WHO WILL ADDRESS THE COMPLAINANT'S VIEWPOINT. A HEARING WAS HELD BEFORE A REVIEW COMMITTEE ON OCTOBER 12, 2023. THE REVIEW COMMITTEE VOTED SIX TO ONE TO RETAIN THE BOOK IN THE MAYFIELD HIGH SCHOOL LIBRARY. THE SUPERINTENDENT REVIEWED THE DECISION, AND THE SUPERINTENDENT ISSUED A DECISION ON NOVEMBER 6, 2023, AFFIRMING THE REVIEW COMMITTEE'S DECISION TO RETAIN THE BOOK IN THE MAYFIELD HIGH SCHOOL LIBRARY. THIS APPEAL OF THE SUPERINTENDENT'S DECISION WAS TIMELY FILED ON NOVEMBER 19, 2023. WE WILL BE FOLLOWING POLICY KEC AND REGULATIONS KEC-R AND KEF-R IN HEARING AND DECIDING THIS APPEAL. AS REQUIRED BY REGULATIONS KEC-R AND KEF-R, AT LEAST 10 WORKING DAYS PRIOR TO THIS APPEAL HEARING, THE BOARD WAS PROVIDED WITH A COPY OF THE COMPLAINT FORM,
003THE BOOK "JACK OF HEARTS (AND OTHER PARTS)," THE WRITTEN MATERIAL SUBMITTED TO OR CONSIDERED BY THE COMMITTEE, AND THE HEARING TRANSCRIPT FOR REVIEW PRIOR TO TODAY'S HEARING. FINALLY, I WANT TO REMIND EVERYONE IN THE ROOM THAT I AM THE PRESIDING OFFICER OF THIS MEETING. DO NOT SPEAK UNLESS I HAVE RECOGNIZED YOU AND GIVEN YOU THE FLOOR, AND DIRECT ALL QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS TO ME. I NOW CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER. MR. WOFFORD, WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO TAKE THE ROLE CALL? YES. MEMBER COOPER? PRESENT. MEMBER NOLAN? PRESENT. SECRETARY WOFFORD SAYS HELLO FROM VIETNAM. VICE PRESIDENT CORT? PRESENT. AND PRESIDENT TENORIO? PRESENT. WE HAVE ALL FIVE BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT. SINCE WE HAVE ONE BOARD MEMBER PARTICIPATING REMOTELY, I WANT TO REMIND THE BOARD OF POLICY BEDC, WHICH STATES, "A MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION MAY
004PARTICIPATE IN MEETINGS OF THE BOARD BY MEANS OF A CONFERENCE TELEPHONE OR OTHER SIMILAR COMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT WHEN IT IS OTHERWISE DIFFICULT OR IMPOSSIBLE FOR THE MEMBER TO ATTEND THE MEETING IN PERSON PROVIDED THAT EACH MEMBER PARTICIPATING BY CONFERENCE TELEPHONE CAN BE IDENTIFIED WHEN SPEAKING, ALL PARTICIPANTS ARE ABLE TO HEAR EACH OTHER AT THE SAME TIME, AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ATTENDING THE MEETING ARE ABLE TO HEAR ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC BODY WHO SPEAKS DURING THE MEETINGS." I WILL NOW ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THE DECEMBER 8, 2023, SPECIAL SESSION AGENDA. SO MOVED. SECOND. AS MOVED BY MADAM CORT, SECONDED BY MS. COOPER. MR. WOFFORD, PLEASE TAKE ROLE. MEMBER COOPER? YES. MEMBER NOLAN? YES. SECRETARY VOTES YES. VICE PRESIDENT CORT? YES. AND PRESIDENT TENORIO? YES. MOTION FOR APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA PASSES. BEFORE WE BEGIN
005THIS HEARING, I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT EACH BOARD MEMBER COMES TO THE DAIS WITH A UNIQUE BACKGROUND AND PERSONAL PHILOSOPHY. TODAY, YOU'RE BEING ASKED TO INTERPRET AND APPLY THE LAW, BOARD POLICY, AND REGULATIONS WITHOUT REGARD TO WHETHER YOU APPROVE OR DISAPPROVE OF THE LAW, POLICY, AND REGULATIONS. IN THE RECORD THAT WAS BEFORE THE REVIEW COMMITTEE AND AMONG THE MATERIALS YOU WERE ASKED TO REVIEW FOR TODAY ARE THE CRITERIA FOR EVALUATION OF LIBRARY MATERIALS UNDER REVIEW, WHICH CONTAINS THE LAW BOARD POLICY AND REGULATIONS. I WILL NOW ASK EACH BOARD MEMBER, IN DECIDING THIS APPEAL, CAN YOU BE OBJECTIVE AND OPEN-MINDED AND MAKE A GOOD-FAITH EFFORT TO INTERPRET AND APPLY THE LAW, BOARD POLICY, AND REGULATIONS? IF YOU ANSWER IS NO, THEN I WILL ASK YOU TO RECUSE YOURSELF. MS. COOPER? >> I CAN. OKAY. MR. NOLAN?
006YES, I HAVE A STATEMENT TO READ. SHOULD I DO THAT NOW? >> GO AHEAD, YES. AS A NEW BOARD MEMBER, THIS PROCESS HAS CERTAINLY BEEN A LEARNING EXPERIENCE FOR ME. THE JOB WE DO HERE IS NOT EASY, AND WE SHOULD ALWAYS BE LEARNING AND GROWING FROM OUR TIME HERE. I WAS APPOINTED IN APRIL AND IMMEDIATELY BEGAN THE LONG SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH PROCESS. THIS GAVE ME LITTLE TIME TO LEARN THE INS AND OUTS OF THIS WORK IN MY EARLY DAYS ON THE BOARD. I REMAIN, HOWEVER, COMMITTED TO THE PROCESS OUTLINED IN OUR POLICY, AND I WILL MAKE A DECISION THAT I FEEL BEST LINES UP WITH DISTRICT POLICY, REGULATION, THE LAW, AND FAIRNESS TO ALL PARTIES IMPACTED. I BELIEVE I CAN SET ASIDE ANY DISTRACTIONS, BE OBJECTIVE, AND BASE MY DECISION ON THE RECORD OF MATERIALS FOR
007THIS APPEAL, INCLUDING THE PARTICULAR BOOK AT ISSUE AND THE PRESENTATIONS TODAY. OKAY. MR. WOFFORD? YES, I CAN. MADAM CORT? YES, I CAN. AND, YES, I CAN. I ALSO WANT TO REMIND EACH BOARD MEMBER THAT, ACCORDING TO REGULATION, PRIOR TO THE HEARING, EACH SCHOOL MEMBER SHALL HAVE REVIEWED THE COMMITTEE TRANSCRIPT AND SUBMITTED MATERIALS. THE SUBMITTED MATERIALS ARE DESCRIBED IN THE REGULATIONS AS THE COPY OF THE COMPLAINT AND ANY WRITTEN MATERIALS CONSIDERED BY THE COMMITTEE. I WILL NOW ASK EACH BOARD MEMBER WHETHER THEY ARE PREPARED TO PROCEED. IF YOUR ANSWER IS NO, THEN I WILL ASK YOU TO RECUSE YOURSELF. MS. COOPER? >> I AM PREPARED. THANK YOU. MR. NOLAN? >> YES, I'M READY. MR. WOFFORD? >> YES. MADAM CORT? >> YES, I'M PREPARED. AND I AM PREPARED. BEFORE WE BEGIN WITH THE COMMENTS FROM THE FLOOR,
008I WOULD LIKE TO ASK FOR THE COMPLAINANT/APPELLANT AND RESPONDENT/APPELLEE TO STAND AND ANNOUNCE "PRESENT" WHEN I CALL YOUR NAMES. FOR THE COMPLAINANT/APPELLANT, MS. SARAH SMITH AND MR. JUAN GARCIA. PRESENT. BETH BOUSQUET IS STANDING IN FOR JUAN BECAUSE HE WASN'T ABLE TO ATTEND TODAY. CAN YOU GO AHEAD AND SPEAK IN THE MIC? BETH BOUSQUET WILL BE STANDING IN FOR JUAN GARCIA SINCE HE COULD NOT ATTEND TODAY. OKAY. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. FOR THE RESPONDENT/APPELLEE, MS. KAREN HANSON SHARP, LIBRARIAN AT MAYFIELD HIGH SCHOOL. PRESENT. >> THANK YOU. I WILL NOW INVITE MS. SMITH AND... I'M SORRY. WHAT WAS YOUR LAST NAME? BOUSQUET. >> ...MS. BOUSQUET TO PRESENT COMMENTS FROM THE FLOOR. YOU HAVE 10 MINUTES. THANK YOU, BOARD PRESIDENT TENORIO AND SCHOOL BOARD. AS YOU KNOW, JUAN AND I ARE THE PARENTS WHO FILED THE FORMAL
009COMPLAINT AGAINST THE BOOK "JACK OF HEARTS (AND OTHER PARTS)," WHICH IS IN THE MAYFIELD HIGH SCHOOL LIBRARY. CONTRARY TO WHAT THE NEWS MEDIA AND OTHERS ARE SAYING, WE DID NOT FILE THIS COMPLAINT BECAUSE OF THE LGBTQ+ CONTENT OF THE BOOK. WE ARE NOT ANTI-GAY, NOT ANTI-TRANS, AND WE WOULD'VE HAD THE SAME OBJECTIONS TO THIS BOOK IF IT HAD BEEN WRITTEN ABOUT STRAIGHT CHARACTERS AND STRAIGHT SEX. IT IS NOT BOOK BANNING TO ASSESS BOOKS IN SCHOOLS FOR AGE-APPROPRIATENESS. RATHER, IT IS YOUR DUTY TO ENSURE THAT ALL MATERIALS BEING USED IN SCHOOLS ARE ASSESSED FOR AGE-APPROPRIATENESS. PARENTS ARE TRUSTING YOU TO DO THIS AND TO ASSESS THIS BOOK ON ITS INDIVIDUAL CONTENT SPECIFICALLY. I HAVE ALREADY HEARD FROM SEVERAL PARENTS WHO ARE PULLING THEIR KIDS OUT OF LCPS BECAUSE OF YOUR HANDLING OF THIS ISSUE. BOARD MEMBERS
010NOLAN AND WOFFORD HAVE ALREADY SHOWN THAT THEY HAVE A HARD TIME ADDRESSING THIS PARTICULAR BOOK OBJECTIVELY BASED ON THE FACT THAT THEY SPECIFICALLY TRIED TO STACK THE COMMITTEE AGAINST US. THIS IS WHY WE HAD ASKED FOR THEM TO BE RECUSED FROM VOTING ON THIS MATTER. I APPRECIATE THAT YOU HAVE NOW ASKED THEM TO BE OBJECTIVE, PRESIDENT TENORIO. VICE PRESIDENT CORT AND PRESIDENT TENORIO AND BOARD MEMBER COOPER, WE ARE ASKING YOU TO PLEASE NOT GO WITH A KNEE-JERK REACTION ON THIS AND INSTEAD SINCERELY ASSESS WHETHER YOU THINK THIS BOOK IS AGE APPROPRIATE FOR 13- AND 14-YEAR-OLD CHILDREN. I RECENTLY MET THE SUPERINTENDENT, SO I DON'T KNOW HIM WELL, BUT I HAVE GOTTEN TO KNOW MS. O'BRIEN AS THE INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT AND HAVE THE UTMOST RESPECT FOR HER INTEGRITY AND INTEGRITY OF THE SENIOR MEMBERS OF THE
011ADMINISTRATION I'VE ENGAGED WITH. EVEN IF WE MAY DISAGREE ON REGULATIONS, THE POLICIES ARE CREATED BY THE SCHOOL BOARD. SO HERE WE ARE AT THE FINAL STAGE TO THE CHALLENGE OF A BOOK CONSIDERED AGE INAPPROPRIATE BY ANY REASONABLE PERSON. IT'S DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND HOW THE LAS CRUCES SCHOOL BOARD ALLOWED THE RESULTS OF A COMMITTEE THAT WAS STACKED WITH ANTI-BOOK-BANNERS BE ALLOWED TO STAND AND THEN THE STACKED RESULTS BE GIVEN TO THE SUPERINTENDENT AS A BASIS FOR HIS DECISION. EVEN THOUGH THE BOARD WAS PRESENTED WITH EVIDENCE AND MR. NOLAN'S OWN WORDS DESCRIBING THE COMMITTEE IS STACKED WITH ANTI-BOOK-BANNERS AND MR. WOFFORD'S BIAS AND ABHORRENT FEELINGS TOWARDS BOOK BANNERS, YOU, THE BOARD, CONTINUED TO ALLOW THIS CHARADE. OR ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF THE DETESTABLE ATTITUDE DIRECTED TOWARDS THOSE WHO CHALLENGE THE SEXUALIZATION OF OUR KIDS, THE MAYFIELD LIBRARIAN WHO
012MOCKED MY PUBLIC COMMENTS IN AN E-MAIL ON THE 16th OF AUGUST TO MADAM CORT STATING, "I HEAR MR. GARCIA PROVIDED STORY TIME AT THE BOARD MEETING AGAIN LAST NIGHT. COULD YOU PLEASE GIVE ME A CALL?" SO CONCERNS OVER AN AGE-INAPPROPRIATE BOOK ARE NOW STORY TIME? AND I'M SUPPOSED TO TRUST HER INTEGRITY? MR. NOLAN WAS INDEED ACCURATE WHEN HE STATED THE COMMITTEE WAS STACKED AGAINST US. THE SUPREME COURT'S RULING SAID BOOKS PERVASIVELY VULGAR OR INAPPROPRIATE FOR SPECIFIC AGE GROUP MAY BE REMOVED FROM SCHOOLS. THIS IS BOTH PERVASIVELY VULGAR AND INAPPROPRIATE FOR FRESHMEN AND SOPHOMORES WHO CAN ACCESS IT. I HAVE COMPILED A LIST OF THE INAPPROPRIATE CONTENT THROUGHOUT THE BOOK AND PROVIDED COPIES TO ALL OF YOU. OUT OF 349 PAGES, 217 HAVE VULGAR OR AGE INAPPROPRIATE CONTENT. THAT IS 62% OF THE PAGES IN THE
013BOOK. THIS BOOK HAS THE WORD [BLEEP] 128 TIMES. A PG13 MOVIE ONLY ALLOWS ONE USAGE. INAPPROPRIATE CONTENT INCLUDES ILLEGAL ACTIVITY SUCH AS TEACHERS HAVE SEX WITH STUDENTS, UNDER AGE TEENS SOLICITING SEX FROM ADULTS THROUGH GRINDER, TEENS SMOKING POT AND GETTING BLACK OUT DRUNK SO THEY CANNOT REMEMBER WHETHER THEY HAD SEX THE NIGHT BEFORE, AND MUCH MORE. I AM SURE YOU KNOW AN LCPS TEACHER WAS CRIMINALLY CHARGED WITH SEXUAL CONTACT WITH THREE CHILDREN. THIS NORMALIZES SEXUAL CONTACT BETWEEN ADULTS AND CHILDREN AND MENTIONS A STUDENT HAVING SEX WITH A COACH IN THE LOCKER ROOM. DURING THE 28th NOVEMBER SCHOOL BOARD MEETING SARAH ASKED THE BOARD IF THE YOUNG STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE COULD BE EXCUSED THREE MINUTES WHILE SHE READ FROM THE BOOK. HE TOOK THE RESPECTFUL REQUEST AND TURNED IT INTO A MOCKERY BY STATING PERHAPS SHE COULD
014REFRAIN FROM BEING UNDER AGED AND APPROPRIATE AND INSTEAD OF SHOWING THE SAME LEVEL OF RESPECT HE WAS NONCHALANT ABOUT THE YOUNG STUDENT STAYING OR NOT. HE COULD NOT SHOW THE SAME RESPECT BECAUSE THAT'S CONTRARY TO WHAT THE SCHOOL BOARD SEEMS TO BE PURSUING. THERE WAS AN INDEPENDENT SURVEY OF PARENTS ABOUT BOOKS IN SCHOOLS. 55 PARENTS PARTICIPATED AND OVERWHELMINGLY SAID THE BOOK JACK OF HEARTS AND OTHER PARTS IS NOT AGE APPROPRIATE FOR STUDENTS AT MAYFIELD HIGH SCHOOL. NOW KEEP IN MIND AS I READ THE PASSAGES FROM THE BOOK THAT THIS CAN BE ACCESSED BY 13 OR 14-YEAR-OLD CHILDREN. I DO NOT ENJOY READING THESE PASSAGES TO YOU. I AM SURE YOU WOULD RATHER I DIDN'T AS WELL. HOWEVER, WE HAVE TO KEEP THE CONTENT OF THE BOOK FRONT AND CENTER IN DETERMINING WHETHER IT IS APPROPRIATE
015FOR YOUNG TEENS IN SCHOOLS. THIS INCLUDES NUMEROUS PASSAGES ENCOURAGING CHILDREN TO HAVE SEX WITH MANY PARTNERS. PAGE 24, NOW BEFORE THIS I'D SUCKED MY SHARE OF DICKS AND HAD BLOW JOBS, HAND JOBS, EVERY KIND OF JOB. AS FOR THE REST OF IT, ASKING PEOPLE OUT WANTING TO [BLEEP] ALL THE FUN PARTS, BE CLEAR ABOUT WHAT YOU WANT. I AM INTO YOU. WANT TO COME BACK TO MY PLACE AND GAG ME WITH YOUR [BLEEP]. THAT'S ONLY IF YOU KNOW THE PERSON WOULD KNOW IT IS APPROPRIATE AND AT A LEATHER BAR. THERE ARE PASSAGES ENCOURAGING CHILDREN TO USE DRUGS AND ALCOHOL. JENNA PASSES ME THE JOINT AND I TAKE A LONG DRAG. I LIKE POT JUST TO RELAX WITH. IT MAKES THINGS EASIER, SMOOTHER. 297. I DON'T REMEMBER ANYTHING FROM LAST NIGHT. THAT'S NOT TRUE. I REMEMBER
016GETTING TO THE PARTY, DANCING, DRINKING, MORE DRINKING. AFTER THAT, I AM NOT SURE. I CHECK TO SEE IF I AM STILL WEARING ANY UNDERWEAR. I AM SO I THINK I DIDN'T GET TO ANYTHING TOO REGRETTABLE. THERE ARE PASSAGES MENTIONING SEX BETWEEN TEACHERS AND STUDENTS AND TEENS AND OVER AGE ADULTS. PAGE TWO, WHEN HE GOT [BLEEP] BY THE COACH IN THE LOCKER ROOM DURING THE HOMECOMING GAME. PAGE 6 GIVING MR. DAVIDSON, A TEACHER, A BLOW JOB . THE MOST INTENSE WAS A GUY I MET ON GRINDER. HE BLIND FOLDED ME AND TOLD ME I WAS HIS AND I WAS GOING TO BE A SLAVE. HE PUT HIS HANDS AROUND MY NECK. I SAID RED TO THAT QUICK. CHOKING IS SCARY. HE STOPPED AND UNTIED ME AND THEN RELAXED. HE NEVER CALLED ME. I FELT DOMINATED, USED,
017A SEX TOY. THIS IS JUST A SMALL SAMPLE OF THE INAPPROPRIATED CONTENT IN THE BOOK. I GAVE YOU A PRINT OUT WITH OVER 200 INSTANCES WITH INAPPROPRIATE CONTENT IN THE BOOK. IF THIS IS GOING TO BE MAINTAINED IN THE HIGH SCHOOL LIBRARY ARE YOU ABLE TO IMPLEMENT ACCESS CONTROL TO ENSURE IT IS ONLY ACCESSED BY JUNIORS AND SENIORS? WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO TO PROTECT YOUNG TEENS FROM THE CONTENT? IT IS EVIDENT MR. NOLAN WAS CONFIDENT THE COMMITTEE WAS SACKED AGAINST CONCERNED PARENTS. I HAVE RECEIVED A REPORT FROM A WITNESS OF WHAT GOES ON IN A SCHOOL BUS WHERE KIDS AS YOUNG AS FIT GRADE ARE GIVING AND RECEIVING ORAL SEX AS THEY PERFECT SKILLS ON BECOMING TEEN S WHICH IRONICALLY IS IN THE BOOK. HERE IS A MESSAGE TO THE PARENTS AND CITIZENS
018OF THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. IF YOUR CHILDREN HAVE BEEN HARMED BY INAPPROPRIATE LITERATURE AT LAS CRUCES SCHOOLS, REACH OUT TO US AND CONSIDER REMOVING YOUR CHILD FROM THE PUBLIC SCHOOL. I HOPE THE WOMEN OF THE BOARD WILL SHOW RESTRAINT AND INTEGRITY AND NOT VOTE IT ALLOW THIS BOOK IN FULL ACCESS STATUS AT THE MAYFIELD LIBRARY. THANK YOU. I WILL INVITE COMMENTS FROM THE FLOOR. TEN MINUTES. GOOD MORNING. SORRY. PLAYING WITH THE MICROPHONE. [ LAUGHTER ] MY NAME IS KAREN HANSON SHARP AND I AM LIBRARIAN AT MAYFIELD HIGH SCHOOL. I AM NATIONALLY BOARD CERTIFIED ENGLISH TEACHER. THANK YOU FOR PREPARING FOR THIS HEARING BY READING THE BOOK IN ITS ENTIRETY AND REVIEWING THE MATERIALS PREVIOUSLY PRESENTED. I WILL USE MY TIME TODAY TO CORRECT MISINFORMATION THAT HAS BEEN PRESENTED AND TO REVIEW THE FACTS NECESSARY FOR YOU
019TO MAKE AN APPROPRIATE OBJECTIVE DECISION. JACK OF HEARTS IS AGE APPROPRIATE FOR 14 TO 18-YEAR-OLDS SERVED BY OUR LIBRARY. NOT ONLY DO THEY HAVE COGNITIVE SKILLS TO UNDERSTAND AND PROCESS THIS MATERIAL BUT MOST HAVE ALREADY SEEN SIMILAR THINGS ELSEWHERE AND MANY HAVE RELATED LIFE EXPERIENCES THEMSELVES. THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PEDIATRICS AND OUR NEW MEXICO PUBLIC EDUCATION DEPARTMENT AGREE THAT ADOLESCENTS SHOULD HAVE ACCESS TO INFORMATION THAT ALLOWS THEM TO MAKE INFORMED SAFE CHOICES ABOUT SEXUALITY AND SEXUAL HEALTH AND THAT HELPS THEM DEVELOP A POSITIVE VIEW OF SEXUALITY. THIS BOOK PROVIDES MULTIPLE EXAMPLES OF CRITICAL TOPICS LIKE CONSENT, OPTIONS AND CONSEQUENCES OF SEXUAL EXPRESSION, COMPONENTS OF HEALTHY AND UNHEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS ALL OF WHICH SUPPORT NEW MEXICO'S 9th THROUGH 12th GRADE HEALTH CURRICULUM COURSE STANDARDS. THE LANGUAGE IS CRUDE BECAUSE CHARACTERS ARE SPEAKING AS PEERS. IT MAY COME
020AS A SHOCK, ADOLESCENTS HEAR AND USE SIMILAR LANGUAGE ON A REGULAR BASIS. A RESEARCHER WHO HAS BEEN STUDYING SWEARING TRENDS SINCE 1970s FOUND TEENS CURSE MORE FREQUENTLY THAN OTHER GROUPS AND ESTIMATES THAT THE AVERAGE ADOLESCENT USES ROUGHLY 80 TO 90 SWEAR WORDS A DAY. JACK OF HEARTS IS NOT PERVASIVELY VULGAR, OBSCENE, PORNOGRAPHIC AND HAVING IT IN THE LIBRARY IS NOT HARMFUL TO MINORS AND DOES NOT VIOLATE LAWS OR STATUTES. THE BOOK HAS NO SEX SCENES IN A MANNER INTENDED TO BE AROUSING. PASSAGES IN QUESTION ARE WRITTEN IN AN INFORMATIVE WAY AND NOT NARRATIVES DESIGNED TO INSIGHT LUST FULL THOUGHTS. REAL TEENS ASK THE QUESTIONS THAT PROMPTED THE ANSWERS AND INFORMATION IS MEDICALLY ACCURATE AND FOCUSES ON SAFE PRACTICES THUS HAVING REDEEMING SOCIAL IMPORTANCE FOR MINORS. JACK OF HEARTS DOES NOT ENCOURAGE PEDOPHILIA, PROMISCUITY, GETTING BLACK
021OUT DRUNK. QUOTES HAVE BEEN READ OUT OF CONTEXT AND EXAMPLES HAVE BEEN THROUGH THE USE OF INFLAMMATORY LANGUAGE. DESPITE COMPLAINANTS HAVING STATED ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS THAT THE TEEN HAS SEX WITH ADULT COACH THAT IS NOT TRUE. THE BOOK IS ABOUT JACK BEING STEREOTYPED AND HARASSED BY OTHER TEENS WHO SPREAD FALSE RUMORS AND THAT STORY IS ONE OF THE LIES THEY CRUELLY SPREAD ABOUT HIM. THIS SERVES AS A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF WHY BOOKS MUST BE EVALUATED AS A WHOLE NOT BASED ON A SINGLE SENTENCE REMOVED FROM ALL CONTEXT OF THE STORY. THE GRINDER EXAMPLE HAS BEEN SIMILARLY EXAGGERATED. THE BOOK ONLY SAYS THAT THE GUY JACK MET WAS, QUOTE, A BIT OLDER. THAT CAN MEAN ANYTHING. IN AN EARLIER MENTION OF USING THE APP JACK OPTS NOT TO RESPOND TO SOMEONE BECAUSE, QUOTE, HIS PHOTOS PUT
022HIM AS WAY TOO OLD FOR HIGH SCHOOL. CLAIM THAT THE NOVEL ENCOURAGES STUDENTS TO ABUSE DRUGS AND ALCOHOL. HOWEVER THE TEN PAGES SURROUNDING THE PARAGRAPH JACK'S FRIENDS REPEATEDLY EXPRESS CONCERN ABOUT HIS BEHAVIOR. OTHER TEENS PROVIDE EXAMPLES OF HOW TO TURN DOWN DRUGS OFFERED TO THEM. JACK'S MOM HAS A SERIOUS DISCUSSION WITH HIM ABOUT HIS DRINKING AND HE EXPRESSES REGRET FOR HIS ACTIONS MULTIPLE TIMES. THOUGH JACK IS PROMISCUOUS HE WRITES COLUMNS ADVISING PEERS THEY SHOULD NOT HAVE SEX UNTIL THEY'RE READY AND IT IS NORMAL TO NOT WANT TO HAVE SEX AT ALL. THE OVERALL MESSAGE IS EACH PERSON SHOULD MAKE THE DECISION THAT IS RIGHT FOR THEMSELVES RATHER THAN BE INFLUENCED BY OTHERS. THIS PERVASIVE USE OF TAKING QUOTES OUT OF CONTEXT IS WHY THERE IS NO REASON TO BELIEVE THAT THE RESULTS OF THE SURVEY
023MENTIONED BY COMPLAINANTS ACTUALLY REPRESENT THE VIEWS OF PARENTS IN OUR COMMUNITY. THE RESPONDENTS WERE PRESENTED WITH LIMITED INFORMATION DESIGNED TO LEAD THEM TO THE DESIRED RESPONSE AND THE ORGANIZATION CONDUCTING THE SURVEY IS RUN BY A PERSON WHOSE SELF PROFESSED GOAL IS TO INSTILL CONSERVATIVE PRINCIPLES THROUGH POLITICAL ACTIVISM. JACK OF HEARTS HAS LITERARY VALUE. IT DISCUSSES IMPORTANCE ISSUES LIKE RESPONSIBLE SEX, INFORMED CONSENT, SETTING PERSONAL BOUNDARIES WITHIN SEXUAL RELATIONSHIPS. IT CONTAINS MEANINGFUL CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT, SHOWS EXAMPLES OF POSITIVE STUDENT RELATIONSHIPS WITH ADD THES AND HOW TO HANDLE HARASSMENT AND THREATS FROM CLASSMATES. IN A RECENTLY PUBLISHED STUDY RESEARCHERS FOLLOWED STUDENTS STARTING IN EIGHTH GRADE THROUGH THE FIRST FEW YEARS OF HIGH SCHOOL WHO WERE ALLOWED TO CHOOSE WHAT BOOKS TO READ. RESULTS ARE QUITE REVEALING. THE BOOKS STUDENTS FOUND MOST ENGAGING WERE THOSE THAT MANY WOULD CLAIM TO
024HAVE, QUOTE, DISTURBING CONTENT. IN OTHER WORDS TOPICS TYPICALLY FOUND IN BOOKS BEING CHALLENGED OR BANNED. MOST OF THE STUDENTS DRAMATICALLY INCREASED THEIR AMOUNT OF READING IN SCHOOL AND AT HOME AND THEIR READING ACHIEVEMENT IMPROVED. PARENTS REPORTED WELCOMING THE OPPORTUNITIES TO DISCUSS DIFFICULT TOPICS LIKE DRUGS, SEX, RELATIONSHIPS, DEPRESSION WITH THEIR CHILDREN AS THEY CAME UP FOR CHARACTERS IN THE BOOKS. STUDENTS REPORTED AND THEIR PARENTS AND PEERS AGREED THAT THE TYPES OF BOOKS, QUOTE, HELPED THEM BECOME MORE EMPATHETIC, LESS JUDGMENTAL, MORE LIKELY TO SEEK MULTIPLE VIEW POINTS, MORALLY STRONGER, AND HAPPIER. WHEN ADULTS RAISED CONCERNS ABOUT STUDENTS BEING TEMPTED TO EMULATE CHARACTERS' ACTIONS STUDENTS FOUND THE CONCEPT, QUOTE, LAUGHABLE, PLAUSIBLE ONLY TO SOMEONE WHO HADN'T READ THE BOOK AND DESCRIBED THE CHARACTERS' QUESTIONABLE DECISIONS AS CAUTIONARY TALES. AS A LIBRARIAN AND EDUCATOR, MY JOB IS TO FOLLOW
025OUR COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT POLICIES TO ENSURE WE HAVE A CURRENT DIVERSE COLLECTION THAT MEETS NEEDS OF OUR STUDENT POPULATION. FOLLOWING LCPS POLICY TO UTILIZE PROFESSIONAL RESOURCES I ADDED JACK OF HEARTS TO OUR COLLECTION BASED ON NUMEROUS POSITIVE REVIEWS AND RATINGS THAT RECOMMENDED IT SPECIFICALLY FOR TEENS. NO ONE IS BEING FORCED TO READ THIS BOOK. IT IS NOT PART OF ANY COURSE CURRICULUM AND IT IS ONE OF 14,000 BOOKS AVAILABLE IN OUR HIGH SCHOOL LIBRARY. PARENTS ABSOLUTELY HAVE THE RIGHT AND RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT WHAT THEY FEEL IS APPROPRIATE FOR THEIR OWN CHILDREN. I ALWAYS WORK WITH PARENTS WHO HAVE CONCERNS OR WANT TO PLACE RESTRICTIONS ON WHAT THEIR OWN CHILD CAN CHECK OUT. IN THIS CASE THE COMPLAINANTS ARE NOT PARENTS OF MAYFIELD STUDENTS BUT COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO BASED ON VIEWS AND BELIEFS WANT TO
026BAN THE BOOKS FOR ALL OUR FAMILIES. THE ARGUMENT THAT A STUDENT CAN GET THE BOOK ELSEWHERE REVEALS A PRIVILEGED UNREALISTIC PERSPECTIVE AS THE MAJORITY OF STUDENTS DO NOT HAVE MONEY, TRANSPORTATION, OR RESOURCES NECESSARY TO BUY THEIR OWN BOOKS OR SEEK THEM AT THE PUBLIC LIBRARY. THE IDEA THAT A PUBLIC SCHOOL SHOULD GATE KEEP MATERIALS FROM STUDENTS WHO RELY ON IT FOR RESOURCES IS INPRESENT AND OFFENSIVE. OUR LIBRARY IS HERE TO HELP ALL STUDENTS ACCESS INFORMATION THAT THEY WANT AND NEED REGARDLESS OF THEIR FINANCIAL SITUATIONS. THE COMPLAINANTS SAY THEY DON'T SUPPORT BANNING BOOKS YET JUST LAST WEEK POSTED A VIDEO SAYING THEY WERE TRYING TO IDENTIFY MORE BOOKS THEY FIND OBJECTIONABLE AND PUT A CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS ON THE WEBSITES TO HELP WITH THE SEARCH. WE MAY BE HERE TODAY TO DISCUSS JACK OF HEARTS BUT
027IT IS ULTIMATELY ABOUT MORE THAN THIS PARTICULAR TITLE. IN SUMMARY, JACK OF HEARTS IS AGE APPROPRIATE FOR THE TEENS AND YOUNG ADULTS SERVED BY OUR LIBRARY. IT DOES NOT PROMOTE PEDOPHILIA, DOES NOT ENCOURAGE THE READER TO BE PROMISCUOUS, TAKE DRUGS, DRINK. IT IS NOT OBSCENE OR PERVASIVELY VULGAR AND DOES NOT VIOLATE STATUTE OR LAW. IT ADDRESSES SERIOUS ISSUES FACED IN REAL LIFE BY TEENS. IT HELPS SUPPORT NEW MEXICO'S 9th THROUGH 12th GRADE HEALTH CURRICULUM COURSE STANDARDS. NO ONE BOOK IS RIGHT FOR EVERYONE. THIS ABSOLUTELY COULD BE A GOOD FIT FOR SOMEONE STUDENTS AND THEY HAVE THE RIGHT TO ACCESS IT IF THEY CHOOSE TO. OPTING TO REMOVE OR RESTRICT ACCESS TO JACK OF HEARTS WOULD BE TO ALLOWING COMPLAINANTS TO FORCE THEIR PERSONAL BELIEFS AND MORAL VIEWS ON ALL FAMILIES IN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM. IT
028WOULD GO AGAINST OUR POLICY THAT STATES AT NO TIME WILL WISHES OF ONE CHILD'S PARENTS TO RESTRICT HIS OR HER READING OR VIEWING OF AN ITEM INFRINGE ON OTHER PARENTS' RIGHTS TO PERMIT THEIR CHILDREN TO READ OR VIEW THE SAME MATERIAL. I DO HAVE A PACKET OF MATERIALS. I WASN'T SURE IF YOU HAD ALL THE STUFF FROM LAST TIME. THAT'S THERE BUT ALSO THE THINGS I MENTIONED THAT WERE NEW. I WILL NOT BE ACCEPTING ANY WRITTEN MATERIAL. OKAY. IT'S WHATEVER WAS WITHIN THE PACKET WE ALREADY HAD. NEW STUFF NEITHER? NOTHING NEW. OKAY. THANK YOU. >> SO WE ARE ON AGENDA 3A TO AFFIRM, REVERSE, MODIFY THE DECISION TO DENY REMOVAL OF THE LIBRARY BOOK. ACCORDING TO REGULATIONS KEC-R AND KEF-R, BOARD MAY AFFIRM, REVERSE, MODIFY THE DECISION. HOW WE WILL PROCEED IS I WILL ENTERTAIN
029A MOTION TO EITHER AFFIRM, REVERSE, OR MODIFY. IF THE MOTION RECEIVES A SECOND, THEN I WILL INVITE DISCUSSION AMONG BOARD MEMBERS. BEFORE I CALL FOR THE VOTE, BOARD MEMBERS WHO MADE THE MOTION MAY WITHDRAW THEIR MOTION. IF THE MOTION IS NOT WITHDRAWN, THEN AFTER ADEQUATE TIME FOR DISCUSSION, I WILL CALL FOR VOTE. IF THE MOTION DOES NOT PASS, I WILL REPEAT THE PROCESS UNTIL WE HAVE A DECISION. WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO REPEAT? MAKES SENSE? COULD YOU REPEAT IT? I WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE THAT. ACCORDING TO REGULATIONS KEC-R AND KEF-R, THE BOARD MAY AFFIRM, REVERSE, OR MODIFY THE SUPERINTENDENT'S DECISION. HOW WE WILL PROCEED IS THAT I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO EITHER AFFIRM, REVERSE, OR MODIFY. IF THE MOTION RECEIVES A SECOND, THEN I WILL INVITE DISCUSSION AMONG BOARD MEMBERS. BEFORE I CALL FOR THE
030VOTE, THE BOARD MEMBER WHO MADE THE MOTION MAY WITHDRAW THEIR MOTION. IF THE MOTION IS NOT WITHDRAWN, THEN AFTER AN ADEQUATE TIME FOR DISCUSSION, I WILL CALL FOR A VOTE. IF THE MOTION DOES NOT PASS, I WILL REPEAT THE PROCESS UNTIL WE HAVE A DECISION. THANK YOU. I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO REVERSE THE SUPERINTENDENT'S DECISION OKAY, I HEAR NONE. I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO MODIFY THE SUPERINTENDENT'S DECISION. I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO AFFIRM THE SUPERINTENDENT'S DECISION. SO MOVED. SECONDED. MOVED AND SECONDED BY MISSIS COOPER. SORRY, MR. WALKER, YOU MISSED IT BY A SECOND. SO I WILL OPEN IT UP FOR DISCUSSION. WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO SPEAK? I WOULD. JACK OF HEARTS AND OTHER PARTS BECAME REQUIRED READING FOR ALL US VERSUS PUBLIC SCHOOL MEMBERS, WHEN MISSIS SMITH AND MR. GARCIA MADE A
031FINAL APPEAL TO REMOVE THE BOOK FROM MAYFIELD HIGH SCHOOL LIBRARY. I HAD A VERY HARD TIME LISTENING TO THE EXCERPTS READ BY MR. GARCIA. DURING THE JULY BOARD MEETING. I BRACED MYSELF FOR THE ASSIGNMENT. WHEN I FINISHED THE LAST PAGE MY MIND WAS NOT FILLED WITH VULGAR LANGUAGE OR SEEDS I DID NOT WISH TO BE PRIVY TO. INSTEAD MY HEART WAS OPEN TO THE YET TENDER HEARTS OF TEENS AWKWARDLY DISCOVERING THEIR CONNECTION TO THE REST OF THE HUMAN RACE. THE OPPORTUNITY FOR STUDENTS TO BE -- I THINK I'M NOT SUPPOSED TO SAY THAT, I VERY MUCH APPRECIATE AND STRONGLY IDENTIFY WITH KAREN HANSEN SHARPS REFERENCES TO THE BOOK DURING HER PRESENTATION TO THE COMMITTEE. THE LANGUAGE IS CRUDE BECAUSE THE CHARACTERS ARE SPEAKING TO EACH OTHER AS PEERS. THE FICTIONAL ADVICE COLUMNS ARE BASED ON
032REAL QUESTIONS TO REAL TEENS. FROM REAL TEENS. THE AUTHOR CONSULTED WITH SEX EDUCATORS TO ENSURE THE ADVICE COLUMNS PROVIDE APPROPRIATE ANSWERS THAT FOCUS ON THE IMPORTANCE OF SAFETY AND CONSENT AND PROVIDE MEDICALLY ACCURATE INFORMATION. THE OVERALL PLOT OF THE BOOK IS ALSO FOCUSED ON ADDRESSING THE IMPORTANT ISSUES OF HARASSMENT AND STEREOTYPES. PLEASE THINK ABOUT THE BULLYING EXPERIENCES THAT WE'VE HAD. PLEASE THINK ABOUT THAT. THIS IS SIGNIFICANT BECAUSE MANY TEENAGERS FACE THESE VERY SERIOUS ISSUES AND MAY NOT KNOW HOW TO HANDLE THEM. IN THE BOOK JACK IS REPEATEDLY ENCOURAGED TO REACH OUT TO ADULTS LIKE HIS MOTHER, TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATORS AT SCHOOL AND EVEN THE POLICE TO HELP WITH THESE SITUATIONS. READING ABOUT SOMEONE WHOSE RELIGION, RACE, SEXUALITY OR LIFESTYLE IS DIFFERENT THAN OUR OWN HELPS US DEVELOP A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD AND EMPATHY
033FOR OTHER PEOPLE. ON THE OTHER HAND, SOMETIMES BOOKS ACT AS MIRRORS, REFLECTING THE READER OR THE -- REFLECTING THE READER OR THE WORLD THEY LIVE IN, IT CAN BE EMPOWERING WHEN SOMEONE MAKES A PERSONAL CONNECTION TO THE BOOK BECAUSE THEY SEE SOME ASPECT OF THEIR LIFE IN THE PAGES. REPRESENTATION MATTERS AND CAN HELP PEOPLE FEEL VALUED AND LESS ALONE, WHICH IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT FOR MARGINALIZED STUDENTS WHO ARE OFTEN STEREOTYPED, HYPED AND OVERLOOKED. I TAKE IT TO HEART AND I HOPE THAT YOU DO TOO. THANK YOU. V. [ APPLAUSE ] ANYONE ELSE? DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING ELSE? SO I GUESS IN WEIGHING THIS DECISION, RIGHT, WE HAVE THE EVIDENCE PRESENTED IN THE APPEAL, RIGHT? I WILL START WITH THE BOOK. I HAVE MY MARKERS AS A STUDENT AND IT HELPS ME SORT OF UNDERSTAND WHAT IS
034IN THESE BOOKS. THESE YELLOW TABS ARE NOT CRUDE LANGUAGE, THEY ARE REALLY POSITIVE STORIES THAT ARE HAPPENING AND ARE HIGHLIGHTED IN THIS BOOK. IT HAS BEEN A LONG PROCESS. THERE IS THE ART TEACHER, MISS NANCY AND HOW IMPORTANT ADULT GUIDANCE IN OUR SCHOOLS IS AND HOW SHE HELPED JACK IN THAT ROLE. THERE IS TALK ABOUT THE PARENTS, TALK ABOUT FRIENDSHIP AND EVEN SUICIDE AND HELP PARENTS, THE KIDS ARE SUPPORTING ONE ANOTHER. THIS BOOK IN OUR LIBRARY IS A POSITIVE THING FOR ALL OF OUR STUDENTS. IT IS REPRESENTATIVE AND IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE THESE BOOKS IN OUR LIBRARIES, IT IS IMPORTANT THAT PEOPLE SEE THEMSELVES IN THE BOOKS WE HAVE HERE THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT. WE ALSO HAVE EXPERT OPINION. I THINK THERE IS A DISTURBING TREND OF US NOT FOLLOWING EXPERTS IN THE
035FIELDS THAT THEY ARE EXPERTS IN. THEY ARE EXPERTS IN THEM BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO BE, RIGHT? HEALTH STANDARDS, LEARNING STANDARDS, THIS BOOK MATCHES UP WITH WHAT WE'VE IDENTIFIED HERE IN NEW MEXICO AS APPROPRIATE FOR STUDENTS IN HIGH SCHOOL. WE HAVE EXPERTS IN THE LIBRARY FIELD AND THE ENGLISH FIELD SAYING THIS IS AN APPROPRIATE BOOK FOR THE AUDIENCE IT IS INTENDED TO. AND THEN WE HAVE OUR LEGAL OPINION. WE WERE PRESENTED WITH TWO LEGAL OPINIONS ON THIS, RIGHT? WE HAVE MS. SMITH AND MR. SANCHEZ. SORRY, MR. GARCIA. AND THEN WE HAVE THE SUPERINTENDENT'S LETTER WHICH REALLY SPELLS OUT THE LEGALITY ISSUE WE ARE TALKING ABOUT HERE IN MORE CLARITY. AND IN A MORE ROBUST MANNER AND IT HELPS US REALLY MAKE THAT DECISION AND THAT WE HAVE THE STATEMENT FROM THE AUTHOR.
036WE ARE FAILING OUR LGBTQ STUDENTS ALL OVER, RIGHT? AND I THINK THIS BOOK IS INTO I LIKE THAT, THAT WE ARE NOT PROVIDING EDUCATION TO THE STUDENTS IN THE WAY WE NEED TO. AND THE AUTHORS STATEMENT REALLY GETS TO THE HEART OF THAT. AND LIKE MEMBER CAROL SAID, THESE ARE REAL QUESTIONS, I THINK THERE WERE TWO THAT ARE NOT REAL. I CAN GUESS NARRATIVELY TWINS THOSE WERE. BUT THE LARGE MAJORITY OF THESE ARE REAL QUESTIONS FROM REAL TEENAGERS THAT HAVE THESE QUESTIONS. AT THE END OF THE DAY AS THE FATHER OF A 15-YEAR-OLD GIRL, WHAT I ALLOW HER TO READ THIS BOOK, I WOULD ALLOW HER TO READ THIS BOOK AND NOT FEEL BAD ABOUT THAT AND THAT IS WHAT GUIDES MY DECISION HERE TODAY. WE WILL JUST GO IN ORDER, IS THAT OKAY? DO
037YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO SHARE? YES, THANK YOU PRESIDENT TERESA TENORIO AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORDS. MISSIS HANSEN I WOULD LIKE TO ALSO THANK YOU FOR THE CLARITY OF YOUR PRESENTATION TODAY. THE PETITIONERS HAVE CULTURED MY RECUSAL AND IN DOING SO HAVE MISCHARACTERIZED MY TEXTS AND BEHAVIOR. THEY ALSO PROTESTED THAT THEY DON'T OBJECT TO THE BOOK BECAUSE IT POSITIVELY PORTRAYS LGBTQ CHARACTERS. AND MS. SHARP SAID, ESSENTIALLY, THAT THEY DON'T SEE THE FOREST FOR THE TREES. THAT WHAT THEY SEE IS A NOVEL OF VULGARITY AND WHAT I SEE IS A NOVEL OF COMING INTO AGE, OF GROWING UP. JACK IS A CHARACTER FULL OF BRAVADO AND YET HE FALLS SUBJECT TO BULLYING, HE IS COERCED INTO TEXTING NUDE PICTURES OF HIMSELF AND IS FULL OF TEENAGE INSECURITIES. THAT IS WHAT THE NOVEL IS ABOUT. I ENCOURAGE
038OUR PETITIONERS TO REREAD THE NOVEL AND NOT LOOK FOR A WORD ON A PARTICULAR PAGE BUT TO LOOK FOR WHAT IS BEING SAID MISSIS COOPER, I WANT TO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR WORDS. MR. NOLAN, ALSO. BECAUSE YOU HAVE SAID WHAT I WOULD INTEND TO, SO THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT AHEAD OF TIME. LGBTQ YOUTH ARE MUCH MORE LIKELY TO IDEATE SUICIDE , MR. NOLAN, WHEN YOU SAID WE NEED MORE BOOKS IN THE LIBRARY THAT SUPPORT THESE KIDS, I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU SAID AS WELL. AND I WILL BE REPEATING MS. HANSEN IF I SAID THE POLICY KE C STATES THAT WE DO NOT REMOVE BOOKS BECAUSE SOME PARENTS OBJECT TO THEM. THE FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS AND THE BOARD OF EDUCATION SAYS KIDS HAVE FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS TO RECEIVE INFORMATION IDEA AND THE DISTRICT CANNOT
039SUPPRESS THOSE IDEAS AND THAT REMOVING LIBRARY BOOKS WOULD BE A SUPPRESSION OF THOSE IDEAS. IF THIS WERE AN ELEMENTARY LIBRARY WE WOULD HAVE AN IN TIREDLY DIFFERENT CONVERSATION TODAY. BUT THIS IS A HIGH SCHOOL LIBRARY. AND THE CHILDREN IN OUR SCHOOLS, ALL OF THEM NEED TO BE RESPECTED AND RECOGNIZED FOR THEIR ABILITY TO READ AND TO GROW. I APPRECIATE WHAT MS. COOPER SAID ABOUT WINDOWS AND MIRRORS, BOOKS ARE BOTH. A CHILD THAT SEES HIMSELF IN A BOOK AND GROWS BECAUSE OF IT, SEES A MIRROR AND THE OTHER KIDS, IT WINDOWS INTO OTHER CHILDREN'S LIVES. THIS IS NOT A MANUAL, IT IS A NOVEL. IT DOES NOT INSTRUCT CHILDREN TO MISBEHAVE. IT DESCRIBES SOME MISBEHAVIORS AND TALKS ABOUT THOSE BEHAVIORS IN A GREATER CONTEXT. I WILL LEAVE IT AT THAT, THANK YOU THANK YOU PRESIDENTS. [
040APPLAUSE ] THANK YOU, PRESIDENTS. OUR DECISION TODAY WAS TO BE BASED ON ONLY FOUR THINGS. THE COMPLAINT, THE WRITTEN TRANSCRIPT OF THE HEARING BEFORE THE FIRST BOARD, OR LOOKING AT IT, THE WRITTEN MATERIALS CONSIDERED BY THAT MIDI AND COMMENTS FROM THE FLOOR. THAT IS ALL THAT WE LOOKED AT. AND IN THAT, WHAT I FOUND WAS A COMMON THEME. FIRST OF ALL, WE NEED TO HAVE RESPECT FOR INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS. WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THE POWER OF READING AND WHAT THAT CAN DO FOR THE PEOPLE WHO ARE READING THOSE BOOKS WHO MAY SEE THEMSELVES IN THOSE BOOKS OR WHO MAY GAIN A GREATER UNDERSTANDING OF OTHERS THROUGH THOSE STORIES AND CHALLENGING PERSPECTIVES. THINGS THAT WE READ SOMETIMES WE ARE NOT SO COMFORTABLE WITH, BUT FROM THAT WE LEARN AND GROW. IT FOSTERS GROWTH. READING FOSTERS GROWTH. AND
041ALSO IT IS IN OPPOSITION TO CENSORSHIP. WE ARE LUCKY IN THE LAS CRUCES PUBLIC SCHOOLS THAT IF YOU AS A PARENT OBJECT TO MATERIAL YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO GO AND MAKE THOSE REQUESTS ON BEHALF OF YOUR CHILD BUT YOU DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT TO REQUEST THAT ON BEHALF OF OTHER CHILDREN. IF YOU WOULD NOT LIKE YOUR CHILD TO READ SOMETHING, THAT IS GREAT. BUT YOU CAN'T TELL ME WHAT MY KIDS CAN READ. AND MY KIDS IN HIGH SCHOOL, HAD THEY CHOSEN TO READ THAT BOOK I WOULD HAVE SAID , YES, ABSOLUTELY. AND THEN LET'S HAVE A CONVERSATION. THAT IS WHAT READING AND GAINING KNOWLEDGE, THAT FREE EXCHANGE OF KNOWLEDGE IS ALL ABOUT. THANK YOU MS. COOPER FOR STATING SO ELOQUENTLY WHAT I WANTED TO STATE, THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU TO THE MEMBERS
042FOR YOUR WORDS AS WELL. AND I STAND BY THE SUPERINTENDENT'S DECISION. [ APPLAUSE ] I DIDN'T PREPARE A SPEECH FOR THIS BECAUSE I WAS FEELING SO INTERNALLY CHALLENGED. AND IT WASN'T UNTIL I WAS SITTING HERE THAT I UNDERSTAND WHAT I WAS FEELING. A FEAR OF SHAME , FEAR OF PEOPLE POINTING FINGERS AT YOU AND SAYING, YOU ARE NOT GOOD ENOUGH. YOU DON'T MEASURE UP. YOU'RE NOT THIS OR YOU'RE NOT THAT. AND WHY I'M HERE IS TO STAND UP FOR OTHERS, STUDENTS AND EMPLOYEES WHEN THEY ARE BEING HARASSED, OR BULLIED OR SHAMED. I GREW UP IN A HOME THAT WAS CATHOLIC, SOMEWHAT PRUDISH. IF THEY HEARD A LITTLE INKLING OF SOMETHING, KISSING OR SMOOCHING ON THE TV, IT WAS LIKE, TURNED IT OFF. IT JUST DIDN'T HAPPEN. OF COURSE MOM AND DAD WERE AFFECTIONATE WITH EACH
043OTHER AND MY DAD HAD A LIBRARY OF BOOKS THAT WAS OPEN TO US SO IT WAS KIND OF A CONTRADICTORY. BUT I FELT LIKE BOOKS WERE SACRED. AND IT WAS WORLD WHERE YOU WENT INTO, TRY TO UNDERSTAND IT AND THEN YOU CAME OUT. I DON'T KNOW IF IT NECESSARILY CHANGES SOMEONE, IT JUST HELPS YOU UNDERSTAND THINGS BETTER OR HELPS YOU TO SEEK MORE UNDERSTANDING. I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT TODAY. I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT I WAS GOING TO DO, HE REALLY WAS LIKE, ON THE FENCE. BUT I FELT STRONGLY THAT I COULD NOT SET A PRECEDENCE FOR MYSELF TO DO THIS TO A HIGH SCHOOL LIBRARY WHEN IT WAS COLLECTING DUST FOR SEVERAL YEARS . AND IF IT MAKES A POSITIVE DIFFERENCE IN ONE STUDENT, THAT IS BETTER THAN NOTHING. I DON'T THINK THAT THIS
044WHOLE PROCESS WE'VE GONE THROUGH IS GOING TO -- IT HAS MADE MORE ADULTS READ THE BOOK, I DON'T KNOW IF MORE KIDS ARE READING THE BOOK, BUT IT IS NOT GOING TO HARM THEM. THAT IS THE OTHER PART OF REALLY BEING CHALLENGED INTERNALLY. BECAUSE I READ BOOKS FOR JOY, RIGHT? AND THIS BOOK IS MADE NOT FOR ME, AND THAT'S OKAY. I HAD TO READ IT BECAUSE I'M ON THE BOARD, RIGHT? YEAH, I WAS A LITTLE HISSY ABOUT NOT -- READING SOMETHING I DON'T WANT TO READ BUT I LIKE TO READ OTHER MATERIAL FOR THE BOARD. AND WHEN I READ THE BOOK I FELT LIKE, IT MAY NOT BE WRITTEN FOR ME BUT IT'S NOT WRITTEN FOR A 44-YEAR-OLD WOMAN, RIGHT? THIS IS WRITTEN FOR YOUNG ADULTS. AND AS A MOM, I HAVE MY OWN DAUGHTER
045GOING TO MAYFIELD NEXT YEAR, IF SHE WANTED TO READ THIS, I SAY OH, WELL, I READ IT, LET'S TALK ABOUT IT. BUT I DON'T THINK SHE IS THERE. SHE HAS THE WHEREWITHAL TO OPEN IT AND PUT IT BACK ON THE SHELF. SHE IS NOT READY FOR IT, AND SHE DOESN'T WANT IT. AND THAT'S OKAY. THAT IS ALL I HAVE TO SAY. [ APPLAUSE ] SO WE HAVE MADAME CORT HAVING MADE THE MOTION AND MS. COOPER SECONDED THE MOTION. AND JUST TO REMIND EVERYONE THIS IS TO AFFIRM THE SUPERINTENDENT'S DECISION TO DENY REMOVAL OF THE LIBRARY BOOK, JACK OF HEARTS AND OTHER PARTS FROM THE MAYFIELD LIBRARY. MR. WOFFORD WOULD YOU PLEASE TAKE THE ROLE ? [ ROLL BEING CALLED ] MISSIS COOPER. YES. MR. NOLAN. SECRETARY WOFFORD VOTES YES. VICE PRESIDENT CORT . YES. AND
046PRESIDENT TERESA TENORIO. YES. THAT MOTION PASSES, 5-0 AND THE BOOK REMAINS AT MAYFIELD LIBRARY. [ APPLAUSE ] I WILL NOW ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN. MOVED. MOVED BY NOLAN AND SECONDED BY MS. CORT. MR. WOFFORD, PLEASE TAKE ROLE. MISSIS COOPER. YES. MR. NOLAN. YES. MR. WOFFORD SAYS GOOD NIGHT FROM VIETNAM. MADAME CORT. YES . AND PRESIDENT TERESA TENORIO. YES. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US MR. WOFFORD. WHAT TIME IS IT, LIKE 1:00 IN THE MORNING? YES, RIGHT AT MIDNIGHT. SO HAPPY VIETNAM TO YOU. THIS SPECIAL MEETING HAS BEEN ADJOURNED.