Palmyra school board approves French book 5-3 after months of discussion

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After months of debate, the Palmyra Area school board approved the French II reader “Alice: La Liste” during the Feb. 12 meeting in a 5-3 vote.

Jill Martin, Seth Steinmetz, and Alicia Haldeman voted against the motion. Larry Geib, Corey Andrew, Sue Gilligan, Dave Laudermilch, and Cynthia Spondello voted in favor. Christine Fisher was not present.

Discussions about the book began at a December curriculum committee meeting, when Steinmetz said a search of the book suggested it might contain “fringe topics.” Other board members raised concerns about the book not having an accessible English translation for parents to review.

The book follows a young Alice, who is moving from Southern France to Paris. The request presented to the board states that the short book would educate students about French language, grammar, and culture.

Residents have spoken up in person and through social media on both sides of the debate — some wanted increased transparency by choosing a book with an accessible English translation, and some were in support of the book and called the board’s actions a “book ban.”

Board president Martin pushed back against this characterization. She said during the Jan. 22 meeting that school boards have a responsibility to review material and decide if it should be used in class curriculum, and, if denied, it would not be a “book ban.”

Resident Carrie Bonanno has spoken at multiple public comment periods in support of the book’s approval. She said she hoped board members read the book themselves after almost two months of discussion, and she questioned what “fringe topics” are included in “Alice: La Liste.” At one point, Alice’s friend experiences racism for being of Arab descent.

“What is the lesson here that could be of concern to the school board? Is it the subject of racism?” Bonanno said. “The students here at Palmyra see racism themselves, and if it’s not personally directed at them, then they see it on TV, and they see it online. Racism is nothing new, and it’s common enough that I wouldn’t define it as ‘fringe.’”

Jerry Klee, another regular for public comment, spoke against the board’s approval. He questioned the point of view of the author Cécile Lainé and suggested that the board only approve books that have English translations so parents can be involved in their children’s education.

“Do you think these PASD students will be nice to see this book as a well-crafted tool of a French educator, namely Cécile Lainé, who could very well want to propagandize the susceptible within France by means of a leftist, anti-biased, equity-minded worldview, or do you think something else would happen within that PASD classroom setting?” Klee asked.

Board members Martin, Steinmetz, and Haldeman agreed with Klee that they’d prefer to approve books that have already been translated for increased transparency for parents. 

Spondello said there are many parents in the district who don’t speak English fluently, so an English translation wouldn’t be beneficial to them. She said these parents trust the district to teach their children, even without having direct translations of lessons or materials.

Trust in experienced educators was a repeated point among some board members who approved “Alice: La Liste.”

“It’s going to be interpreted within the educational community of Palmyra School District that the board does not trust a teacher’s recommendation,” Geib said. “You may not mean that, but that’s the way it’s going to be interpreted.”

Board members who voted against the book said they don’t distrust the French teacher, and Martin said her child had great experiences with her. They said they wanted district staff to pass along the message that their dissenting votes had nothing to do with the teacher’s work or expertise.

Superintendent Bernie Kepler said the French teacher provided translated sections of the book and additional information about its educational value. After the meeting, he said the district could work to make foreign language material more accessible.

“What I heard tonight was the desire to make sure we’re providing any foreign language material, a book in this case, in the parents’ native language, and we can make that happen,” he said.

In January, Kepler said there’s a process where parents can opt their children out of certain educational materials, and the student can be offered a “replacement learning opportunity.” He said he didn’t remember the last time he received one of these requests.

In other business, the board:

• Postponed a decision to do HVAC work on Pine Street Elementary School with G.R. Sponaugle for $2,144,475 with a 6-2 vote. Geib and Gilligan voted against the motion.
• Approved a bid of $1,986,971 to David M. Maines for Pine Street Elementary School’s roof restoration. Laudermilch voted against the motion. The board also approved a bid for $392,600 to Durex for the school’s flooring upgrades.
• Approved a request for proposal for solicitor services. The vote was 5-3 with Laudermilch, Geib, and Gilligan opposing. Geib said there are other important items, such as an upcoming new teacher contract and building repairs, that the board should focus on first.
• Heard from Palmyra parent Merrill Shaffer, who talked about his daughter Lilly’s experience on the unified bocce team. He said it’s a great, “life-changing” program that has helped build her confidence and form friendships with teammates.

The Palmyra Area school board will meet next at Lingle Avenue Elementary School on Feb. 26 at 6 p.m. Meetings can also be attended via Zoom.