Billings School District 2 trustees voted 5-4 Monday, after much deliberation, to keep the book “Assassination Classroom” by Yusui Matsui on its high school library shelves.

Public commenters and audience members sat for five hours to hear the deliberation. An array of testimonials were heard from parents, librarians, educators, and students, religious leaders and concerned taxpayers.

“This was a retired social studies teacher's dream,” stated Board Chair Scott McCulloch when concluding public comment. “I wish this were the template for these discussions that are occurring across this country. You talked to each other without vitriol.”

The topic of book banning, or book removal, from SD2 libraries is not a new one. Two years ago, a parent of a Billings student challenged two controversial LGBTQ+-themed books banned in other school districts across the country. The titles of concern then were “Lawn Boy,” an autobiographical novel by Jonathan Evision and a graphic style memoir by Maia Kobabe called “Gender Queer.” Procedures concerning the possible removal of those titles were carried out similarly, per district policy. The SD2 board then, voted unanimously to keep the books on the shelves of high school libraries.

Billings Gazette: Billings school board votes 5-4 to keep contested book on shelves