Somerset County Board of Education Approves Media Policy 519 as Amended
SOMERSET, Md., — The Somerset County Board of Education approved controversial Media Policy 500-19 as amended in a 3-1-1 vote Tuesday night. The policy would potentially restrict access to some books in schools for minors and bring new disciplinary standards for school employees if violations are found.
The Maryland State Education Association (MSEA) sent a letter to the board earlier this month threatening legal action if the policy changes were adopted. The board responded to the letter and stated that the proposed policy changes were in compliance with the law.
The board says the policy would move books with “adult material,” and restrict access to these works for any student under the age of 18.
During the meeting, board chairperson Matthew Lankford questioned Somerset Education Association (SEA) President Phaedra Spencer and accused Spencer of lying to the public because of a social media post from the SEA Facebook account. Lankford said that the post claimed the board was banning “Harry Potter,” “The Dairy of Anne Frank,” and “To Kill a Mockingbird.”
“Please explain why you chose to lie to the public,” Lankford said.
“We did not choose to lie,” Spencer responded.
Lankford told Spencer that the SEA, the local teacher’s union, had cost taxpayers thousands of dollars responding to “lies.”
Lankford’s questioning prompted SEA lawyer Jamie Sapia to interrupt and accuse Lankford of attempting to intimidate the SEA president and added that his conduct constituted an “unfair labor practice.”
Afterwards, the board members gave comments on the policy, with William McInturff and John Robertson questioning some aspects of the policy. McInturff abstained from the vote and Roberston voted no.
Multiple members of the public stated opposition to 500-19 during the public comment portion of the meeting.
At the end of the meeting Lankford brought up the policy debate back up and explained his reasoning for supporting the policy proposal.
“The reason that we look so much at these materials, these are the things that go in our kid’s minds. When I really read these books, not many people have read these books, I tell you the truth I read them and it disgusted me,” Lankford said.
