ROCHESTER — The decision to pull a book from an elementary school library in Rochester marked the first time in at least 10 years that the district has removed a book because of its content.
Rochester Public Schools Superintendent Kent Pekel
Tuesday, Jan. 7, in a memo addressed to the School Board, and subsequently submitted to the Minnesota Department of Education. “The Rainbow Parade” by Emily Neilson is a picture book about a pride parade a young girl attends with her two moms. Two of the book’s pages include depictions of at least partial nudity.
In addition to a conversation among the School Board members — and outbursts from the crowd — the topic prompted input from voices outside the district. One of those was from former school board member Jess Garcia, whose term ended before the issue was discussed. Garcia briefly addressed the issue as part of a larger statement about her time on the board.
“Special thanks to all who voiced their commitment to affirming our students and families, especially in the face of such vocal opposition in the room,” Garcia wrote in her statement about the discussion surrounding “The Rainbow Parade.”
The book has also been scrutinized in other places for its illustration of nudity. A
library in North Carolina opted ultimately not to remove
the book after a challenge there.
It’s the first time in years that a conversation about school library books has come before the district’s school board. RPS Communications Director Mamisoa Knutson confirmed that the district hasn’t removed a book from any school library in the last decade — a span of time that includes the U.S. Supreme Court’s marriage equality ruling that took place in 2015.
The last known time that
was in 2012. At the time, the district considered a complaint from a parent at Gibbs Elementary regarding the children’s book “And Tango Makes Three,” which is a children’s book about two male penguins and a younger penguin “Tango.”
Similar to what happened with “The Rainbow Parade” this week, a review committee at the time deemed “And Tango Makes Three” acceptable for the elementary school library. The parents, who were unnamed, appealed the decision, prompting it to go before the school board.
A three-person panel — including two school board members and then-Superintendent Mike Muñoz — decided to remove the book before realizing that the district’s policy at the time required the decision to go before the full school board. One of the three members of the panel was Julie Workman, who is still on the board today.
The discussion in 2012 sparked high interest. Reports from the time described standing-room only in the board room.
It also prompted input from outside the immediate context of the school district. Minnesota Public Radio quoted Nora Dooley, chair of Olmsted County’s Human Rights Commission, on the matter.
“I would hope that when the Rochester Public Schools claims that they support all students, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, religious, ethnic, political and cultural values, that they do so by having books that represent them in the libraries,”
as saying at the time.
Pekel emphasized both in writing and during his public remarks that his decision to remove the book was based on the fact that it contained examples of illustrated nudity rather than anything relating to LGBTQ culture.
Nonetheless, much of the discussion that took place during the Jan. 7 meeting, as well as the outrage it prompted, focused on the book’s LGBTQ theme.
During his public remarks, Pekel went on to explain that there was also a reference to BDSM in the book that he found inappropriate for elementary students. The reference included two men wearing leather. One of them was wearing a collar with a leash on it that was being held by the other man.
Pekel’s decision to remove “The Rainbow Parade” comes at a time of heightened scrutiny about perceptions regarding censorship and so-called book bans. In May, Gov. Tim Walz signed a bill that says libraries — including those in schools — “must not ban, remove, or otherwise restrict access to a book or other material based solely on its viewpoint or the messages, ideas, or opinions it conveys.”
Another section of that same legislation requires school districts to develop policies regarding library materials. The Rochester School Board just finished completing the policy regarding library materials on Dec. 3, 2024.
In part, the policy states that “the decision of the Superintendent is final unless a quorum of the School Board voted at an open meeting to initiate the process to determine whether a specific library material should be reviewed.”
In the case of “The Rainbow Parade,” the process began with a parental complaint, rather than a decision of the school board. Because of that, Pekel has the final say in the matter.
According to School Board Chairwoman Cathy Nathan, challenges to books previously were handled under a broader procedure that also pertained to classroom curriculum.
“We did not have a policy that was specific only to library materials previously,” Nathan wrote via email.
Since the district’s new policy wasn’t officially implemented until December, it means the policy that governed the removal of “The Rainbow Parade” was not in place until months after the original complaint about the book was filed in February 2024.
“I’m not sure where I come down on that completely,” Board member Karen MacLaughlin said during the Jan. 7 board meeting. “But … that was another concern of mine that the request to remove (the book) predated the policy.”
Later during the same meeting, Pekel addressed the timing of the book’s review in relation to when the policy was approved.
“Like happens in life, this happened and we had to respond,” Pekel said. “We are going to be in a much better place the next time this happens.”
Letter from the Rochester Pride Board of Directors: