Brandywine School Board unanimously approves "explicit book" policy

NILES, Mich. - The Brandywine School Board addressed a "tricky balance" between removing books deemed as "sexually explicit" while respecting a student's first amendment rights. 

This discussion comes after Senate Bill 12, passed in February, stating that a school can make a book unavailable if it contains obscene matters or is harmful to children. 

Now, a unanimous decision has been made. 

The new policy, passing 7-0, keeps 31 banned books behind a desk at the media center. 

If a student wants to read one of those books, they need signed parent permission. 

If a parent wants to give their child permission to read all of the books, scanned excerpts of the book will be emailed for the parents to read, review and approve. 

This newly adopted rule does not come without its criticism as some are calling it a "book ban," with one advocate against the ban, John Jarpe saying, "It seems to be more of a deterrent to student achievement than an enhancement."

Brandywine did not provide a list of the book titles they've banned. 

Here's a list of CNN's Most Challenged Books in 2022. 

This policy does not cover "violent" materials, which the school board says will be addressed at a later time. 

Here's a timeline of the events this year leading to this unanimous decision: 

February 13: Recently elected board members choose to halt purchasing any new books to review their current inventory to suspend "pornographic" materials from the school library. 

February 27: The Brandywine school board meeting ends early as community members hold signs reading, "Brandywine has spoken, RESIGN," in response to the "We the Parents" political group who helped vote in the new board members. 

March 22: Parents speak out saying, "the school board is not acting in the community's best interest." 

May 22: The school board discusses suspending accessibility to sexually explicit books after a people walked out of the 12-minute long "Porn Pandemic" video displaying how pornography is negatively affecting the youth. Students over 16 can check out any book, unless their parent has requested otherwise. 

June 23: A group doesn't want a political mission to take over a school district. Restricted books should be allowed if they're educational. 

June 26: Parents are upset no action has been taking saying their kids are missing out on chances to have these books easily accessible.

July 6: The battle over books continues, but a new battle has been set, over curriculum, just seven weeks before the new school year. 

August 17: A check out procedure is instated for prohibited books. Students, grades 7-12, will need a signed permission slip. 20 titles are under restriction.