NEW HANOVER COUNTY — Two committees ruled on the challenge of the book “Blended” by Sharon M. Draper in New Hanover County Schools, but the superintendent has decided to revise the outcome.
READ MORE: School board member admits to filing book challenge, claims violation of privacy
The district’s Media and Technology Committee upheld the school-level decision to take no action on removing the book “Blended” from Wrightsboro Elementary, according to a Friday release from Superintendent Christopher Barnes. However, Barnes said he had the authority to amend any ruling and recommended the book remain in middle and high schools but be restricted to fourth and fifth graders in elementary school.
“Although it is rare, it is within my purview,” Barnes wrote of the ruling. “This revision I think is most in line with the Parent Bill of Rights and existing and potential forthcoming legislation.”
Additionally, the ruling indicates parents would need to provide written permission for a fourth or fifth grader to check out the book.
“This way parents will be informed of its content and will have the ability to discuss its content with their children as they choose,” Barnes wrote in the release.
Barnes’ boss, school board member Josie Barnhart, admitted in a social media post this week that she filed the complaint against the book. It was done so in her capacity as a parent of a school-age child, not a school board member. Barnhart argued the book is too mature for elementary students and could damage student interactions with school resource officers.
“Blended” deals with a mixed-race 11-year-old named Isabella navigating her parents divorce and incidents of racism in her school, all culminating in a traffic stop where Isabella is shot by an officer.
Barnhart’s complaint was filed in January about the books in classroom libraries at Wrightsboro Elementary, and the school-level review committee decided against taking action on it. She then appealed to the district-level Media and Technology Committee. Barnes said neither committee violated any policy or procedure in its decision, yet he has the authority to uphold, overturn or override any decision.
“This is, of course, a difficult decision because there is no easy resolution,” Barnes wrote. “As superintendent, it is my responsibility to make decisions that I feel best reflect the educational and developmental needs of the students of New Hanover County Schools.”
Barnhart and the district-level committee have the ability to appeal Barnes’ decision in the next 15 days. Port City Daily asked Barnhart Friday afternoon if she would take any action; a response wasn’t received by press, though this will be updated upon any feedback provided.
If appealed, the final decision is in the hands of the New Hanover County Board of Education. That could raise a conflict of interest, seeing as Barnes is a school board member, who would have to recuse herself.
Barnhart has been critical of media coverage of the “Blended” challenge, starting with WHQR’s breaking story about it last week. WHQR obtained the challenge request via public records request, though the school district redacted the names of Barnhart and her child. However, the outlet was informed by multiple sources, who remained anonymous, the parent was Barnhart.
The board member took to social media to say the disclosure of her name was to “create media buzz and sow division in our community before the district has made a decision about content shows a clear attempt to manipulate, sway, and intimidate decision makers under the false claims of ‘book banning.’” Though the sources were not specifically identified as staff members, Barnhart claimed the revealing of info was a violation of FERPA, the federal law preventing school employees from disclosing student information to the public.
It is unclear how Barnhart is interpreting the law to protect her name and complaint information.
See Barnes full statement about the book here:
Tips or comments? Email brenna@localdailymedia.com.
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