PORTAGE, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – The Portage Public Schools Board of Education appears to be willing to work with parents and the public regarding what to do about sexually explicit books available to students, including possibly implementing an “opt in” system.

Kalamazoo County Citizens United presented a recommendation to the Portage Public Schools Board of Education last week which would allow books with a certain rating to be barred from easily accessible classroom libraries and placed behind the counter at school-wide libraries.

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Per the recommendation, parents who approve of their children having access to those materials can inform the school in writing.

“We are 100 percent concerned and involved parents that should have a right to know what going on in our kids’ schools,” said Kelly Sackett, a member of Kalamazoo County Citizens United. “If we try to print [portions] of said books on social media, we would be restricted or banned. Who thinks its okay for those books to be in our schools?”

The content of the books available in the district came to light through the group “Mary in the Library.” The goal of the group is to collect a list of books that are “pornographic in nature, obscene, or harmful to children – or simply inappropriate for the age in which it was intended…[and send the] collection to Michigan’s Lawmakers as evidence of the need to hold school libraries to a higher standard of decency and excellence.”

Another member of Kalamazoo County Citizens United who spoke to Michigan News Source on the condition of anonymity said she feels hopeful that the school board will look into the “opt in” system after the first of the year.

“Some are concerned about LGBTQ voices and censoring that,” said the member of Kalamazoo County Citizens United. “But if you dig into the books and the content, the issue is that it’s sexually explicit material. Do we want kids reading about explicit and violent sex acts?”

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This is not the first time Portage Public Schools has been under scrutiny. Earlier this year, a high school LGBTQ club applied for and received a $10,000 grant from “It Gets Better” Project  to create a “gender affirming closet” at one of its high schools and middle schools.

After pushback, the district has changed it to a generic clothes closet to include clothes and supplies for all students in need, not just those who identify as LGBTQ.

Michigan News Source has reached out to Portage Public Schools for comment and will update the story if the district responds.