MENTOR, Ohio — The Mentor School Board voted to keep two controversial books on district library shelves.
It especially got heated at Tuesday's school board meeting as the board heard from the public before casting their final decision-making votes.
“Ma’am you must sit down,” yelled a Mentor School Board President, Maggie Cook. “Ma’am you are interrupting our business meeting.”
Watch our previous story for details on what led to this debate over two books in the school's library:
RELATED: Mentor School Board to vote on banning 2 book titles from district libraries
The first book being challenged was “Right Now! Real Kids Speaking up for Change.” The board voted Tuesday to keep the book on elementary school shelves.
“Right Now! Real Kids Speaking up for Change” introduces readers to kids across the world, highlights their stories of activism and encourages activism in their own local communities. The book mentions Greta Thunberg's environmental activism as well as transgender activist and TLC star Jazz Jennings. Many parents Tuesday evening said the book is not factual or appropriate based upon political discussions like immigration law, climate change, and gender identity.
“This is patently absurd, and you know it,” said resident Mike Williams. “Are you really going to promote lies to remain in our elementary school libraries? If you do, you are also promoting and agreeing with false statements that our children can transition with genders at will. This is the most despicable lie."
Many parents, however, agreed with the school district's decision to keep the book on school shelves.
“Banning books because they have a reference to a child being transgender is what’s wrong with our society,” said another parent. “Because we do in fact have transgender students in our school district.”
The second book challenged was “Empire of Storms.” Parents claim it highlights multiple, detailed, graphic sex acts. The school board voted to keep the book on high school shelves.
“I don’t want to hear sexuality and kids in the same sentence ever again,” said another parent.
Many parents also brought up other issues the school district needs to focus on instead, like excessive cell phone usage, class size, and bullying.
“What is important is we as a group stop taking our personal values and beating the heck out of our board members,” one Mentor resident said.
Towards the end of the over four-hour long meeting, the school board proposed a parent advisory system for students.
This isn't the first time the Mentor School Board has dealt with a public debate around controversial books. Find out what book some in the community called to be banned from the library last year:
RELATED: Mentor school board to again take up book challenge as public debate continues
