DAVISON — A total of eight books have been removed from the media centers of the Davison middle and high schools after a 5-0 vote by the Board of Education, Aug. 1.
The board acted after parents complained about language used in one of the publications, adding the others because they contained similar references, said Michelle Edwards, director of public information for Davison Community Schools.
“Two parents were concerned and came to Superintendent Kevin Brown and complained that their children were able to check this book out at the media center,” she said. “He reviewed the book and agreed they needed to be removed.”
Edwards said the books are not banned from the schools; they will just not be available in the media center.
She said the administration’s reason for removing the books is they contain language that wouldn’t be allowed in class, so they had no place in the school media centers.
“(The board) didn’t have to vote,” said Edwards. “Transparency was the reason they voted.”
Absent from the vote were board members Matthew Smith and Nicholas Goyette.
The books removed from the Davison High School Media Center are:
• Aristole and Dante Discover the Secret of the Universe (2012)
• Birthday (2019)
• The Perks of Being a Wallflower (1999)
• Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda (2015)
• We Are Okay (2017)
The books removed at Davison Middle School are:
• Healing Sexual Trauma Workbook (2021)
• Mediocre (2020)
• Push (1996)
The Davison Board of Education will meet again Sept. 12 at 7 p.m. in the Davison High School Auditorium.