RUTHERFORD COUNTY, Tenn. (WKRN) — It was a tense two hours at the Rutherford County school board meeting Thursday night as the board reversed its stance on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, and then voted to remove 32 books from school libraries.
The board took back a vote made two weeks ago on a resolution that called for the closure of the nation’s borders. The sponsor said it was meant to highlight the need for more resources to support English-as-a-second-language (ESL) students.
According to the school board, the resolution was filed after the county experienced a “significant surge in its English Learner (EL) population, stating the population has seen an increase of over 140% in the past decade.
In fact, the board said RCS schools had 6,214 ESL students in May 2023. Now, the district has grown to 8,373 ESL students in the current school year. The increase of funding needed to serve ESL students is $3,500 more per student, according to the board.
The board previously approved a resolution encouraging the state board of education to amend its policy on DEI in hiring.
The resolution also included support for a bill filed in the general assembly to eliminate DEI in local government and at public universities. But after a recess, the board reconsidered and the proposal then failed by one vote after strong comments from the board chair, Claire Maxwell.
“We’ve been through too much with the vouchers, we’re doing the books still, if something passes up at the state legislature and they ask us, I know you say ‘They I don’t know who they are, I didn’t talk to this gentleman, I didn’t know this was coming until Friday.’ I don’t want any more resolutions. I implore this board, lets get out of politics and lets get going on the bus contract and the budget and what we were put up here to do,” explained Maxwell.
The board then went into a review of more than 40 books identified for possible removal. In the end, the board pulled 32 of those titles from school libraries.
Rutherford County school board chair Claire Maxwell addressed attendees before the public comment period began and urged anyone speaking at school board meetings to refrain from personal attacks, adding anyone who speaks should keep their remarks to “all things local.”
“There is no demonic agenda on the behalf of any of our library staff. We’re not responsible for what goes on in other parts of the country,” Maxwell said. “We can’t control what goes on in schools in New York, Chicago or California. In Rutherford County, there are no drag show storytimes or Satanic afterschool programs.”
Ten books will remain on library shelves, but only for 11th and 12th graders who have permission from their parents.
