The Hermiston School District has decided not to allow third- through fifth-graders to participate in a statewide voluntary motivational reading program after deeming the content of one book, which is about a transgender child, inappropriate.

The program, called Oregon Battle of the Books, provides a list of books to be read by students, broken down into grade levels. The students read the books, form teams, and compete in a quiz-show-like challenge using knowledge of the books. Students participate in a school level competition and then advance to local, district, regional and state level events.

No student is required to participate or to read every book if they do participate.

This year, third- through fifth-graders in Hermiston won't be participating beyond the district level. That's because a group of elementary school principals decided, according to Hermiston School District spokesperson Maria Duron that one title, "George," "was not appropriate for students" in those grades.

The book tells the story of a 10-year-old named George, who everyone thinks is a boy but who feels like she is a girl.

Duron said Monday over the phone that elementary school officials "carefully examined the content" before deciding to remove their students from the competition.

The officials "felt that there were some specific things that the character was exploring," said Duron, that were better for parents to discuss with children than for teachers to address.

The district will create its own books list for third- through fifth-graders, but allow children in older grade levels to compete in the statewide contest.

Hermiston is not the only school district examining the content of "George."

Susan Stark Haydon, spokesperson for Tigard-Tualatin School District, said Monday that the district was "calling together a group of parents and staff to review the book, 'George,' and determine what actions -- if any -- should be taken."

"I can't speak for the whole committee when I say this," Courtney Snyder, the Oregon Battle of the Books Title Chair, said Monday over email, "but it's sad and kind of alarming that instead of letting parents choose to let their students participate or not, or even read all the books on the list or not, Hermiston is taking that choice away from them and from those who didn't have a problem with the title list selections in the first place."

Members of the executive committee that runs the statewide contest "have read the emails and Facebook posts regarding the selection of 'George'" for the 2018-19 elementary list, Linda Fukasawa, Oregon Battle of the Books admin chair, wrote in a statement. "Please know that your concerns are taken seriously. We value the opinions of the students, librarians, and parents we serve. Your respectful discourse is always appreciated."

"George will remain on the 2018-19 list as it went through the entire title selection process, including the time for public feedback, met the board's criteria, and was chosen by the title selection committee," Fukasawa continued.



"Please be assured that no content of a mature nature will be used in the writing of questions for this book," she added. "Those students who participate in OBOB competitions but do not read George will not be subjected to any content in questions that might reasonably be seen as objectionable for third-grade students."

-- Lizzy Acker

503-221-8052

lacker@oregonian.com, @lizzzyacker