How local school library material policies work amid recent 'age-appropriate' legislation

KINGSPORT — Censorship of books can be a divisive political issue, especially when children are involved. Groups who oppose censorship in school libraries and those in favor argue over factors such as who determines what is appropriate for children; should that decision be left to the government, school systems or parents; what happens if guidelines are misconstrued; and how to ensure children are protected. Such questions have been raised for Tennessee school libraries in recent years. In 2022, Tennessee established the Age-Appropriate Materials Act, a law that requires K-12 school systems to list their library contents online and review library materials periodically to make sure they are appropriate for students' age and maturity levels. In 2024, the law was expanded to prohibit library materials containing "nudity, or descriptions or depictions of sexual excitement, sexual content, excess violence, or sadomasochistic abuse." With four years of the original legislation and two years of the amended version under Tennessee schools' belts, how are local school libraries faring? Local school districts — Kingsport City Schools and Sullivan County Schools — have Library Material policies. Both districts' policies are similar and written to reflect the Age-Appropriate Materials Act and 2024 amendment. The policies mandate that every school's library content must be available online. They also name a specific staff position responsible for the development of the library's collection. For KCS, it is chief academic officers. For Sullivan County, it is district curriculum supervisors. They are responsible for periodic reviews of library materials to ensure they align with standards outlined in the policy. If something is outside of standard, it should be removed, per policy guidelines. If someone has a complaint, they can fill out a formal request for reconsideration of library materials. If that form is submitted, a review committee — made up of certified library media personnel, representatives from classroom teachers, one or more parents, and, per KCS' policy, potentially one or more students — will review the work in its entirety and determine whether it is appropriate for the school's students. The committee will then send their recommendation to the board of education and the superintendent/director of schools to make a final decision. The challenged material is to remain available to students throughout the process. The content standards for both school systems state that library materials must be consistent with the school's educational mission; appropriate for the age of the students at the school; and contain literary, historical, scientific or artist value. A variety of viewpoints must be available in the library collection. Materials may not contain nudity, descriptions or depictions of sexual excitement, sexual conduct, excess violence or sadomasochistic abuse as defined in state law; be patently offensive as defined by state law; or appeal to the prurient interest as defined in state law. If materials have such contents, they are to be removed from the district's collection. Sullivan Heights Middle School Librarian Tammy Sauls gave insight on managing library content. The county entrusts her to determine what is and is not appropriate for the sixth, seventh and eighth graders who borrow any of the 9,000 books available to them. With a busy teaching schedule, Sauls only has about 45 minutes a day to catalog books and maintain the library. Luckily, she shared that material concerns and book challenges have been rare in her experience. "I can appreciate Nashville trying to make some effort to make sure our kids aren't exposed to things that they shouldn't be exposed to at a certain age," she said of the state legislation. "I think that it's coming from a place that they want Tennessee's children to be protected to a certain extent because they are children." Sauls also shared that she sees the potential complications in determining exactly what is and is not appropriate. At a school she previously worked at in a different state, a student's mother asked for "Junie B. Jones" books to be pulled from the shelves simply because of the title character's disrespectful attitude. Sauls also gave the example of "Holes": a classic novel for middle schoolers, but it contains the word "damn." She rhetorically asked how those decisions should be made and where the line of "appropriateness" is drawn. Sauls said that she tends to err on the side of caution if a book's content raises concern for her. John Sevier Middle School Library Media Specialist Kristy Williamson-Jackson has never experienced a formal book challenge in her 31 years as a library media specialist. "Most concerns that have arisen have resolved themselves through conversation and a simple reminder: Not all books are right for all families, and I will be more than happy to help your child make choices based on your family's values and preferences," she shared in an email statement. Williamson-Jackson added, "Ultimately, our job is not to select books that will appeal to every family. It is to build a collection that serves our students, supports their learning and growth, encourages a love of reading, and respects the fact that families may make different choices about what is right for their own children." According to PEN America, last year Tennessee had the third highest rate of book bannings of any state.