Clancy’s school board withholds controversial book and faces backlash

The district’s review committee said the book was consistent with school policy and supported diversity and different viewpoints.

After about 20 minutes of interruptions by parents and members of the public who questioned the wording of the motion, the five-member board voted unanimously on July 10 to keep the book in the library.

“We elected you and we are not happy with you,” said one commentator.

“Jack, Not Jackie” was a focus of several Clancy school board meetings, with the public supporting or opposing the premise. A big sister realizes that her little sister Jackie doesn’t like dresses or fairies – she likes ties and bugs. Author Erica Silverman’s note on the book began, “Why a picture book for young children about gender identity?”

The book sparked complaints when an angry grandmother stated at a board meeting that she was upset because her granddaughter had brought it home.

Participants of previous meetings talked about their opinions on the book and why they think it does not belong in the library.

Some called the book and other books with LGBTQIA themes “evil.”

Some felt that their parental rights were being taken away because every child in the school had access to the books, even though the school district’s newly appointed superintendent, Daryl Mikesell, had made it clear that the school district would never interfere with parental control of the library.

“We will always accommodate the wishes of all parents,” Mikesell said at the July 10 meeting, noting that parents have the right to control what their children can borrow from the library.

Although this would be complied with, the superintendent cited Board Policy 2310, saying, “The goal of these libraries is to provide a wide range of materials for all appropriate levels of difficulty, with variety of stimuli and the presentation of diverse viewpoints.”

The public had the opportunity to comment, and the majority opposed the admission of the book.

Will Israel, a parent in the district, said the board’s job is to protect children, not to enforce rules.

A spokeswoman said a trustee is someone entrusted with the safety and protection of other people’s children. “… Right now, that trust has been severely damaged by your failure to protect the innocence of children,” she said.

The books aimed to “indoctrinate” children, which led to a discussion in Bozeman about closing elementary schools, the commentator said.

Israel said: “…Fear leads to several factors that prevent people from doing the right thing and protecting children.”

“I encourage this board and you, Superintendent Mikesell, to do the right thing and completely remove any LGBTQ propaganda or books from this school,” Israel said.

Most of the public commenters shared the same goal of ensuring that the book and similar books do not reach their children without their knowledge, with the exception of one of the speakers, who is a teacher in the district.

“We are not raising your granddaughter to be a lesbian,” she said. The teacher said some things parents might have thought would happen in class are not the case.

Another commenter asked the panel why there were no Playboy or Penthouse magazines in the library, since they contained stories and pictures that could be used in biology or anatomy classes.

Library materials do not fall into the same category as classroom materials. They are considered supplemental materials, which include videos, speakers, recordings, and other materials that must be reviewed by teachers before being integrated into the classroom.

The board has agreed to continue the discussion about the book’s location in the library at future meetings. The district’s next full board meeting is scheduled for August 14 at 5:30 p.m.