Seaman High School bans book during special board meeting

TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) - A special school board meeting was held for USD 345 on Tuesday night to talk about the removal of three books that some felt were too inappropriate for students because of sexual language used in some of the material.

The three books which were challenged by community members were The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold, Perfect by Ellen Hopkins, and Me and Earl and The Dying Girl by Jessie Andrews. Some believe the language in the books can be too damaging for students to read.

“I think what we feed our minds that determines how we act in our lives and that can have an effect on your mental health, and emotional health as well as what you learn from it,” Kristi Symonds, community member, said.

Symonds said times have now changed, and now she has to constantly keep up with what materials the school is providing.

“When our kids were young, I trusted that what they were getting school was wholesome, education and that I didn’t have to worry or police what was happening at school and that’s not the case anymore,” Symonds said.

The three books in question have been on the bookshelves in the Seaman library for over 11 years, and they were put there by librarians based on their academic value.

At the conclusion of Tuesday’s meeting, the Seaman school board voted only to remove the novel Me and Earl and The Dying Girl, which has only been checked out 13 times since it was placed in the library over 11 years ago.

President of the Seaman High School school board, Michelle Caudill, said there is a message to be sent after the discussion.

“Students should know that the parents care and the community is very interested in what they are learning and reading and taking in while they’re at school,” Caudill said.

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