BY WESLEY GARDNER
Humble ISD trustees discuss new library advisory council
During a Sept. 30 special-called meeting, Humble ISD trustees gave administrative ocials a green light to create an application to serve on the district’s newly formed school library advisory council. Some context The new council is being established as part of Senate Bill 13, which was passed in the 89th Texas Legislature earlier this year. The bill expands parental rights to review and question instruc- tional and library materials used in the district. During the Sept. 30 meeting, HISD General Counsel Jeremy Binkley said the council would be in charge of recommending new library material, but he noted trustees would still be required to approve all recommendations. The library council will also be charged with hearing all challenges to library material currently on shelves. Binkley said the council will be made up of 14 non-employee community members. He said
a majority of library council members will be required to be parents in the district. Additionally, Binkley said trustees could revise the number and makeup of the committee in the future. The discussion Trustee Oscar Silva said he believed a uniform application process for selecting members would be necessary, noting numerous community mem- bers have already expressed interest in serving on the council. While Binkley said it was ultimately up to the board to appoint members to the council, he said administrative ocials could create an application to help narrow down potential appointees. Binkley said there was some urgency in getting the council in place, as library material purchases are on hold pending the council’s formation. “Our libraries have books,” Binkley said. “We want to get more books, but they’re not barren.”
Breaking down Senate Bill 13
Humble ISD is creating a library advisory council using guidelines outlined in Senate Bill 13. Allows districts to form local school library advisory councils if at least 50 parents or 10% of the parents in the district, whichever is less, sign a petition requesting a council. The councils must have at least ve members, most of whom are parents. Members can make recommendations to add or remove books from a school’s library. Allows any resident to submit complaints about books in a district’s library.
SOURCE: TEXAS LEGISLATURE ONLINECOMMUNITY IMPACT
What’s next Individuals interested in being on the council can nd the application by visiting www.humbleisd.net/page/board and selecting “SLAC Interest Form.”
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