Book Challenge Policy Approved In Hempfield

HEMPFIELD TOWNSHIP, Pa. — (WPXI) – The Hempfield Area School Board members voted Monday night and decided certain books can stay and others can ultimately be removed from the district’s libraries. The meeting got fiery at times with parents passionately speaking on both sides of the debate. With the start of school just 10 days away, students will be walking into classrooms with a new policy about the books they can check out.  In a 7-to-1 vote, school board members decided to move forward with a revised book challenge policy that would allow community members to express concern with a list of books 30 days before the district’s librarians buy them. The policy sets guidelines to keep books with sexually explicit content off Hempfield’s school library shelves. The board claims they’ve spent the last 18 months carefully and thoughtfully revising the policy, adding they didn’t have to vote on this but did for transparency and to get public input. Board members say they will continue to review the policy going forward and can adjust and go back to the drawing board if it’s not working.