Kevin Wong / CC
FARGO (KFGO) – A recent study from PEN America, a nonprofit dedicated to protecting the freedom of expression, found that censorship and book bans in public schools across the country have expanded at a rapid pace this school year, and recent local reports have raised the specter of the issue, especially as it relates to the looming school board election, in Fargo. But officials at Fargo Public Schools say they haven’t seen any indication of that trend here.
Dr. Liann Hanson is the district’s Director of Standards-Based Education. She says FPS has only had one request for formal review of a book during the 2021-22 school year. She says there is a process for material review, and it usually doesn’t get much beyond the initial steps.
“The first part of the request is to have a conversation with school leadership, and I know that principals have had conversations with parents and if it’s a need they can work out in the building, we can do that. And that’s more of that informal part of the process. So generally, I’ve seen it stop there,” she said.
Hanson says parents wanting a book off the shelves have to provide a reason specific to their own child’s needs.
“They can’t just make a one-fell-swoop of ‘I want this book removed from North High, or Eagles Elementary.’ They do have the right to request a review, but it does have to do directly with their child,” she said.
Asked if the district has made changes to their book selection process due to any perceived chilling effect parent protests about certain books may have had, Hanson said:
“We have not. We continue to support all students in our buildings, and we will continue to purchase materials that represent our diverse population and our diverse needs of students, so we continue to support all kids in that manner,” she said.
Hanson says the school board is not involved with selecting or reviewing material, only in setting the policy for the process.
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