White Oak ISD committee revisits “Wallflower” Thursday

It’s not quite ‘The End’ for White Oak ISD and “The Perks of Being a Wallflower.”
The district will hold a followup meeting and new vote Thursday morning on Stephen Chbosky’s 1999 coming-of-age novel after the book was ‘Restricted’ instead of ‘Removed’ during a March 2 Library Materials Challenge Committee meeting.
From comments last week, the matter’s complicated considering the White Oak Library’s role serving both school and community.
WOISD has fielded three book challenges so far this year. The fourth meeting March 26 begins at 8 a.m. in the White Oak High School Library and is again open to the public. The meeting does not include a Public Comment section.
Each session so far has resulted in restriction or removal, totaling seven volumes between the “Heartstopper” series (five graphic novels), “Wallflower” and “Queerfully and Wonderfully Made.”
The district is acting on complaints submitted by one or more multiple people within the community. The materials challenge committee includes librarian Lori Davis and a different set of four others for each meeting, including a WOISD staffer and three volunteers. The changing members are appointed by WOHOS Principal Skylar Stagner (who presides over the sessions) and can be a parent, community member, student or staffer.
Per the posted agenda for Thursday, the group will cast a new vote on Chbosky’s novel and update the Library Challenge Report of Findings with recommendations on retention/removal.
The previous consideration of “Wallflower” in early March ended with a 4-1 vote to restrict the book – it would remain in the library but would be unavailable for check-out on a WOISD student card; it could still be checked out by all ages with a community library card (unless a parent or guardian placed a restriction on their child’s account).