Despite 'taking a pause' on class libraries, BPS assures some books will be available
Following concerns about the availability of classroom books for students in light of new legislation scrutinizing reading materials for schools, district officials reassured the public Tuesday that the district supports those classroom libraries and planned to ensure at least some books were available to students.
“We have not given any directions to schools to close down their classroom libraries,” Jane Cline, assistant superintendent for elementary leading and learning, told agitated staff and parents at Tuesday's Brevard County School Board meeting. “In fact, we've given no direction other than to read (the new law) and we will give guidance at our principals meeting. And then media specialists are getting guidance.”
What the new Florida state book law means for teachers
The law, which went into effect June 30, throws a wrench in the common practice by teachers to provide classroom libraries full of books for students to read in quiet time or when they finish an assignment early. It requires the district to publish on its website all books available to students in libraries and retrain media specialists to vet all books available to students.
Cline said the district has not directed any teachers to remove books from classrooms but is "taking a pause" on classroom libraries for the moment. But she warned that some books might not be available when schools open in the fall.
“Until we go through the process, we can't open up carte-blanche in our elementary schools," Cline said. "Do I anticipate on the first day of school that every classroom library will have every book? Probably not. Will they have books available? Of course they will.”
Cline said the state was going to issue new training for media specialists by January, but the district was not sure when that training would be released or what it might include. She added that the district is “99% sure” it can allow teachers to place any book already vetted through Follett, an online library material platform, in classrooms.
More: No classroom libraries: Brevard teachers told as BPS studies new Florida school book law
More: Brevard Commissioner Tobia seeks to keep school tax hike proposal off November ballot
Two teachers spoke to the board on the importance of classroom libraries. One teacher, Marcus Hoffman, threatened to use his book regardless of whether the district approved them, saying he had purchased some with his own money and planned to use them in lessons starting on the first day of school.
“What are the consequences?” Hoffman said. “You're going to write me up and file (a disciplinary action) at the State of Florida? Take my teacher license away? Because I’m at that point now, when I read stuff like this. I understand a little bit of the intent of the law, but it's overreaching to me.”
Another teacher, Becky McAleenan, called the legislation regulating library books and classroom materials “insulting” to teachers and media specialists and urged the district to interpret the law in a way that protects teachers’ abilities to run their own classrooms.
“My first year of teaching, I personally accumulated hundreds of books,” McAleenan said. “There's no research to support anything other than having books in children's hands, books of all types. … I implore you to please support your teachers in whatever way you possibly can given ridiculous legislation that's coming down from people that aren’t in the classroom.”
Cline said she herself was an English teacher, and she recognizes the importance of having books available.
“My classroom library was extensive,” Cline said. “I taught sixth grade (English and language arts). The thought of not having books out gives me great pause. When we walk into a school, I love seeing books there for our students to read.”
“So we're trying to avoid that. But we are going to follow the statute.”
Bailey Gallion is the education reporter for FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Gallion at 321-242-3786 or bgallion@floridatoday.com.
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Brevard Public Schools facing new regulations for classroom libraries
