WRDSB looking to remove potentially harmful books from library collections

WRDSB reviewing library collections From CTV Kitchener’s Natalie Van Rooy: WRDSB is reviewing its libraries and removing texts that could be harmful to staff and students.

KITCHENER — The Waterloo Region District School Board is going to be taking a hard look at the books in their libraries as part of their ongoing discussion with racism and inequity.

During a Monday night meeting, it was announced that WRDSB would begin a multi-year project to review text that may be harmful to staff or students.

Graham Shantz, the superintendent of student achieving and wellbeing, says it’s clear some of the collections are not appropriate.

“We haven’t spent the concentrated effort we need to spend in order to ensure that we are removing inappropriate texts that are questionable and don’t have the framework we need,” he said.

WRDSB says many classrooms, both at the primary and secondary levels, have collections that will also need to be reviewed by teachers.

The framework for the review was developed last year.