WILLIAMSON COUNTY, Tenn. (WKRN) — A textbook used to teach AP Psychology in Williamson County high schools is up for debate at the Williamson County School Board.
"I've got 40 to 50 emails in the last week and they all name one book: Myers AP Psychology,” WCS board member Dennis Driggers said.
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The textbook was recommended by nine out of nine AP Psychology teachers in Williamson County.
"To me, when I see this recommendation that our teachers all chose the same textbook — it carries a significant weight,” said Leigh Webb, Assistant Superintendent Secondary at WCS.
However, some school board members raised concerns with how the book explains topics regarding sexual orientation and gender identity.
"It just didn't reflect our community values,” said WCS board member Donna Clements.
"They were talking about gender identities and things like that which I recognize as a mental health issue,” Jay Galbreath, WCS board member added in Monday night's meeting.
Ultimately, board members voted 7-3 to defer the discussion to a later date so members have time to review the book's contents.
"We can't always shield our kids from the world. I mean it's out there and that is going to be part — if they're going to community college or wherever, that's going to be part of the discussion [and those are] discussions you need to have with your children at home," Tonja Hibma, WCS board member, said.
Some board members argued teachers can skip sections that aren't a part of the district's curriculum.
"If there are controversial things that you've seen in a textbook and they don't align with our standards, those are not aspects that will be taught in our classes,” Webb added.
In 2022, some Tennessee lawmakers tried to pass a state law to ban the teaching of LGBTQ issues in Tennessee public schools. The bill failed.
"I would really encourage some of you to go and talk to your principals on the impact you're having on teacher morale and staff morale," WCS Board member Eric Welch said at Monday night’s meeting. "When you insert your own opinion over theirs on a lot of these things when it's not always an educated opinion."
The Williamson County school board is expected to revisit the conversation at their April meeting.
