Local Dad Ryan Fowler covered his son’s ears while a citizen during today’s Santa Rosa County Commission public forum read sexually explicit material she wants removed from access by Santa Rosa County School students.
Santa Rosa County District 3 Commissioner James Calkins this morning asked fellow board members to consider a resolution asking Santa Rosa County School Board to immediate remove pornographic material from student access.
“I wouldn’t want any school board member to come in here and start telling us how we should start running the county,” said Commission Chairman Colten Wright, noting that he does not support children being exposed to pornography.
District 2 Commissioner Kerry Smith said he would also prefer to stay in his lane regarding the matter.
“You’d be naïve to believe think taking books out of school would keep kids from it with the Internet,” said District 1 Commissioner Sam Parker, who called it “political grandstanding.” Parker went on to state that Superintendent Karen Barber had contacted him, stating Calkins hadn’t reached out to her and that the District has a process they have to follow.
Calkins said Barber cancelled a June 14 meeting with him and was apparently lobbying other commissioners.
Parker went on to retract his assertion that it was political grandstanding.
“If a kid wants to look at this stuff, they’re going to find it,” said District 4 Commissioner Ray Eddington. “That’s the way kids are…it’s the way the parents raise them. If they raise them right they wouldn’t do it.” I don’t want them to do my job, and I don’t want them to come tell me how to do mine.”
