The Birth of Library Exposed: How the Project Began (Part 3)

By the fall of 2021, attendance at Rockwood Board of Education meetings had increased significantly. Community discussions expanded beyond pandemic-related policies to include curriculum and library materials. Public comment periods grew longer, and debate intensified.

Parents who had formally challenged books through Regulation 6241 addressed the board directly after all challenged titles were retained. During meetings, several parents read excerpts from the books to explain their concerns. Because meetings were livestreamed publicly, some parents noted difficulty reading certain passages aloud without interruption or self-editing.

Discussion also centered on the Challenge Committees’ recommended responses. One commonly proposed measure involved placing “Young Adult” stickers on select titles. Another allowed parents to request notifications in their child’s Infinite Campus account regarding access to particular books. Some parents questioned whether these solutions meaningfully limited student access or adequately informed families.

Parents also expressed disagreement with portions of the committees’ written rationales. In several cases, committee reports emphasized literary merit, perspective diversity, or thematic relevance as reasons for retaining titles. Parents who spoke during public comment argued that age-appropriateness and content boundaries should carry greater weight in school library settings.

Despite the retention outcomes, parent participation continued throughout the fall. The issue remained visible at board meetings, in community discussions, and in local media coverage.

During this period, several parents concluded that formal challenge procedures alone were unlikely to produce the changes they sought. Instead, they shifted focus toward documentation and transparency.

Library Exposed was created with that goal in mind. The project documents books available within the district and publishes selected excerpts so families can review the material directly. Rather than summarizing or interpreting, the site presents passages as written, accompanied by documentation of where and when the title was available within district libraries.

What began as individual concerns evolved into a sustained effort to create a publicly accessible record.