Owasso Public School libraries to screen graphic novels for explicit content
TULSA, Okla. (KTUL) — It was a unanimous vote of the Owasso School Board, approving a new policy in which every graphic novel, prior to being added to the school library, will be inspected for sexually explicit content and extreme vulgarity.
"I actually feel great, it's almost verbatim what I told them that I wanted them to add into the policy in the first place," said parent Tim Reiland.
He started lobbying for this change after his daughter checked out a graphic novel that had content he found inappropriate.
"Under this new criteria would the graphic novel that Mr. Reiland was concerned about no longer be on the shelves?" NewsChannel 8 asked.
"I believe so, yes sir," said Owasso Assistant Superintendent Mark Officer. He says the high school has about 3,000 graphic novels.
"Somebody goes through every page?" NewsChannel 8 asked.
"For graphic novels, yes. An adult will look at each picture, just to make sure we’re meeting community standards," he said.
After the initial objection, the school system removed all the graphic novels from the shelves.
"I don’t think that the response for the flagging of one book should be to take every single book off the shelves and have them unavailable for two whole months," said Owasso Senior Elizabeth Donnelly.
She told the school board she objected to the way the whole ordeal has been handled.
"I believe a book’s purpose is to be read, not to sit in a tub waiting on approval that who knows when it's going to be granted," she said.
As for Tim Reiland, his efforts have paid off with the new policy.
"To keep those images out of the school because it’s entirely inappropriate. A child should not be worried about seeing that from a random selection of a book off of a shelf," he said.
