Local

Inside the process of book banning in CMS libraries

CHARLOTTE — As states across the country push legislation to ban books with diverse viewpoints, the issue is now hitting close to home.

On Tuesday, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools advisory board reviewed four books that parents have expressed concerns about.

RELATED STORIES:

Most of the complaints are from two entities: Brooke Weiss, a parent at Ardrey Kell High School, and the president of Moms for Liberty in Mecklenburg County -- a conservative parents’ rights organization.

A board member told Channel 9 they determine whether they’ll remove the book from the school, the district, or keep it.

“We research reviews, we research age ranges, we read and review the full book,” Erin Shoemaker said.

>> Learn more about the process in the video at the top of the page.

We reached out to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Library on the book-banning process.

“Charlotte Mecklenburg Library is committed to protecting the First Amendment’s guarantee of free and open access to information and ideas – a principle vital to our democracy and to each individual’s search for knowledge,” the statement reads. “We seek to provide our diverse community with a comprehensive collection of materials and programs providing a wide range of knowledge and perspectives.”

The School Board voted to remove only one book, “Court of Frost and Starlight,” which according to the district features adult themes and sexual content.


(WATCH BELOW: Catawba County Schools meets over banning book)