A Pine-Richland 11th grader has gathered nearly 1,900 signatures for an online petition against the Pine-Richland School Board’s controversial library policy revisions.
Elise Duckworth said she created the change.org petition on Jan. 12 as an outlet for those in opposition to the board’s proposed policy changes and to insist the board change its course. The petition comes amid a yearslong battle in the district over its Library Resources policy.
Previously, the district formed a committee for the review of 14 books challenged by parents in 2023, many of which focused on LGBTQ characters.
The committee offered recommendations to Superintendent Brian Miller, who ultimately decided the titles should remain available. Last year, board members began to discuss a revised policy that would give them the final say over library books rather than the superintendent.
The proposed policy has encountered stark resistance in the community as many equate the revision to a “book ban.” A heated meeting on Jan. 9 ran nearly seven hours as the public, administrators and the board struggled over the wording and intentions of the policy.
Duckworth spoke that night, but she said she realized that many simply didn’t have the time to attend drawn-out meetings even if they opposed the policy.
“I think the idea behind the petition was, ‘How can we show (the board) the number of people who are against this?’ ” Duckworth said.
Though she said she was worried the petition would not amount to much, Duckworth said she was happy to see it rapidly spread through social media and word of mouth.
Duckworth, the junior class president, said conversations about the proposed policy changes have been “hard to avoid” among her classmates, but she said many of her peers are “nervous” to speak out.
She said students aren’t necessarily seeking out explicit content in books, but sometimes mature themes arise in the context of some texts.
“I think the misconception is that students are going and they’re looking for the most pornographic, sexual content possible,” she said. “But the more likely scenario is students are picking up ‘To Kill a Mockingbird.’ ”
For Nedda Immen, a Pine-Richland senior, it is not so much a matter of access but a matter of principle.
If they cannot find the books at the school library, Immen said students could just view them online or at a public library. But she signed the petition because she said the books have value in the school.
“By taking these books away, they’re essentially making a statement that all of these books that they’re banning don’t have educational value,” Immen said.
Though the board may have the votes to pass a revised policy, she said she hopes the petition keeps “pressure” on the board and forces it to hear students’ voices.
Immen said she is happy to see students opposing the board in a “mature way” by signing the petition and addressing it directly at meetings.
Jake Pazin, president of the senior class, said he is disappointed in the proposed policy change but remains optimistic.
“I believe that the books represent the people in our community, and having them banned is essentially erasing the very real experiences that people have,” he said.
Pazin said he signed the petition soon after Duckworth posted it, and he said it has been successful in spreading awareness of the controversy among students.
Tracy Howe, Duckworth’s mother, said the proposed policy change has been the topic of many dinnertime conversations at her house, but she said she is “psyched” that others may start paying attention because of the petition.
A former teacher, Howe said her family is no stranger to political discussions, but the recent library controversy “lit a fire” under her daughter.
“When it turned to the books, it became really personal for her because she loves books, and she’s been given a lot of latitude in her selection of books,” Howe said.
Both Howe and Duckworth spoke at the board’s last meeting on Jan. 13. Howe said they “feel a complete dedication” to opposing the proposed changes.
Howe said she is “proud” of her daughter for putting herself out there and hopes more community members are “activated by each meeting.”
School board member Ashley Fortier, who has spoken out against the proposed policy changes, said she thinks the petition is “great.” She said it’s good to see Duckworth involved with a policy that has “a direct impact on her and her peers.”
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Amy Terchick, a board member who also has positioned herself against the policy changes, said Duckworth and other student speakers have shown “clarity and courage.”
“Our whole community should be proud as they assert their First Amendment rights,” she said.
Longtime board member Marc Casciani said the board has handled the revision process “poorly.” He said he believes it is “wonderful when students get involved in the political process.” However, he said it is still too “premature” to say whether he will ultimately vote for the revised policy.
Other board members did not respond to requests for comment.
According to change.org, 63% of petition-signers come from the ZIP codes 15044, 15090 and 16066. The former two ZIP codes cover much of Pine-Richland School District while the latter serves nearby Cranberry Township.
But the petition also has caught the attention of those further afield. Duckworth read comments from supporters in Florida and North Carolina at the last board meeting.
“This is not just a local fight. This is a fight for freedom and a fight to read and believe what you want to believe and that education should never be censored,” Duckworth said. “And I think that’s just a common belief throughout the U.S.”
To view and sign the petition, visit change.org and search under “Insist Pine Richland’s School Board to Respect Librarians’ Expertise in Book Selection.”