First, thank you. Everyone who signed this petition has helped bring transparency and accountability to what is happening at Columbia High School.

I also want to thank the author of the recent Well Sourced newsletter for covering this issue in “New Jersey Freedom to Read Workarounds.” When journalists outside our immediate community begin documenting what is happening, it underscores that this is not just a local scheduling decision. It raises broader concerns about process and precedent.

There is an important factual correction that must be addressed.

In public statements, the district asserted that The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao “remains available in the school library.” However, the Columbia High School library does not own a copy of the book. Students cannot simply walk into the library and check it out.

That distinction matters.

When a book is halted in the classroom through an administrative directive and is not even available in the school’s collection, students effectively lose access to it within the school environment. That is not a technicality. That is the practical reality.

Under district Policy 9130 and Regulation 9130, instructional materials that are challenged are to remain in use during the review process and may not be removed without Board action after a public hearing . That formal process did not occur here.

In September 2023, the Board passed the Right to Read Resolution, formally denouncing book bans and requiring adherence to Policy and Regulation 9130 if a challenge occurs 

The expectation was clear: follow the process.

This petition is not about inflaming a situation. It is about accuracy, transparency, and policy compliance. When public statements about access do not align with the book's actual availability, the community deserves clarity.

Thank you for continuing to stand with the students and for insisting that our district follow its own policies and commitments.