BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KBAK/KBFX) — After months of detailed debate and hours of public comment, the Kern County Board of Commissioners voted Tuesday to reject the classroom textbook policy.
The meeting is the third time in recent months the board has discussed how books and other supplementary materials are reviewed in schools managed by the Kern County Superintendent of Schools. It all started in January when Area 7 Trustee Lori Cisneros raised concerns about a book found in a classroom that contained passages depicting sexual assault.
In an interview with Eyewitness News in February, Cisneros said the agency is pushing for policies to protect children in its care from content that is inappropriate for them. The debate over what is appropriate spilled over into the public comment section of the upcoming meeting, where attendees debated whether controversial themes such as violence and LGBTQ themes were acceptable.
On Tuesday, Cisneros moved to adopt a policy that is essentially uncontroversial. This policy reflects what was on the board's agenda that night, with some modifications to allow parents to report materials for further consideration.
The vote was 4-3, with Trustees Julie Beesignor, Jose Gonzalez, Paula Bray and Daniel Giordano voting against the proposal. Trustees Cisneros, Mary Little and Joe Marcano voted in favor of the policy.
“I can't believe you don't think the same way I do,” Cisneros said after the vote. “I was a little shocked. I'm just trying to protect these kids.”
Although the board was unable to adopt a written policy, Mr. Marcano reminded the board that similar practices were already in place. It's just never been written down.
The Board will reconvene for its next scheduled meeting on April 9 at 6:30 p.m.
