GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — The ACLU of Michigan is calling on Forest Hills Public Schools to investigate the district’s removal of a series of books from its first-grade curriculum.
The set in question focuses on a girl named Ida who has two moms. In one of the books, which was singled out in an internal district email, Ida and her moms attend a Pride parade in New York City.
“We are deeply concerned that these books were removed based solely on the fact that they include LGBTQIA+ characters,” the ACLU wrote in its letter to the Forest Hills Board of Education. “It is readily apparent that there is no sexual content within these books for first graders. Yet, the ACLU has received documentary evidence demonstrating that the ‘Tangerine Series’ of ‘Ida and Jake’ books were deliberately pulled from the curriculum in September of 2022."
Through a public records request, the American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan obtained internal emails which, according to the ACLU’s letter, “compel the conclusion that the ‘Ida and Jake’ book set was removed from curriculum, and that the removal of the books was based on the fact that these books feature two moms.”
Forest Hills Public Schools has been under fire from both sides of the book controversy over its removal last fall and subsequent return of six books from online collections at the district’s high schools and one middle school. Staff who oversee the collections were not aware the six books had been pulled.
Superintendent Dan Behm, who in March announced he would retire this summer, apologized to staff and called his removal of the half-dozen books “wrong” and “a mistake.”
The ACLU’s letter to the school board, dated June 22, 2023, chastised the district for the initial removal of the six books, as well as that of the ‘Ida and Jake’ series.
“Today, we again urge you to consider that the future of our country rests upon the ability of our students to thrive in a diverse society that is informed by a diverse array of literature," the letter reads. "Numerous organizations, including the Michigan Library Association, have developed models that you should consider as you develop a policy that respects students’ First Amendment rights.”
In February 2023, News 8 reported the Forest Hills district was in the process of reworking its book acquisition guidelines.
In the internal emails regarding the “Ida and Jake” series, which Target 8 also obtained, an administrator informed an assistant superintendent on Sept 14, 2022, that the company that published the Jump Rope Readers had notified the district about the “Grade 1 Tangerine Set Set (sic) B, Box 2.”
“Diane (Rep from Heinemann) just called and wanted to talk through the series that is questionable,” wrote Paul Baragar of the district’s instruction office. “I’ve attached those books below. Let’s review together tomorrow. The whole series is about Ida having 2 moms. But book 4 in particular (highlighted in yellow for you) references Ida and her two moms attending a Pride parade in NYC. Another Heinemann Rep in the Chicago area who happens to be gay mentioned in there (sic) weekly meeting that this book was not appropriate for Grade 1 students.”
On Sept. 15, 2022, the director of instructional services forwarded Baragar’s email to Assistant Superintendent for Instruction Scott Haid.
“Looks like this particular series, or book, could need some additional discussion,” wrote the administrator. “Can we chat tomorrow? I did not gather this level of detail from the summary provided.”
According to the ACLU’s letter, administrators met virtually with the sales rep from the publishing company. The ACLU wrote that the sales rep emailed the district the next day and said she had “had a call with her manager about the ‘JRR issues’ and her manager said, ‘you could return them,’” before requesting that a picture of “the stickers” on the books be texted to her.
When News 8 investigated the removal of the “Ida and Jake” set previously, we were told by a teacher the books had been returned to the first-grade curriculum.
The Jump Rope Readers series is kept in the classroom and, according to the publisher’s website, “gradually and systematically introduces beginning readers to new letter-sound correspondences and high-frequency words.”
In an email dated Sept. 26, 2022, the representative for the publisher of the “Ida and Jake” books told the district she appreciated its handling of the issue.
“I just wanted to say thank you for handling the Jump Rope Readers situation with grace like you have,” wrote Diane Tripp of Heinemann, a division of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. “I know it is extremely frustrating for you. As you can imagine, the reception of these books has a huge spectrum of acceptance across the state. Most teachers/admins are okay with the content but are also very conscientious as to how they will be accepted in your community. The last thing I want is to sell you products that create additional headaches and emails for you.”
In its letter to the Forest Hills Board of Education, the ACLU of Michigan requested the “Ida and Jake” books “be restored to the First Grade curriculum immediately,” “the Board conduct a full investigation of the events and the acts of the individuals described above,” and that “the policies and procedures currently being crafted by FHPS regarding acquisition and weeding of books, be crafted to address and prevent the type of ad hoc scenario that occurred with the removal of the ‘Ida and Jake’ books."
News 8 contacted Forest Hills Public Schools Thursday for a statement in response to the ACLU’s letter. The communications director said the district had not yet received the letter. Target 8 provided a copy of the ACLU's letter and several questions but received an automatic response that she was out of the office and would respond Monday.