On Feb. 25,  Lexington County School District One held a public meeting to discuss the Hunger Games book by Suzanne Collins. This public hearing was held following a complaint filed by a mother at Lakeside Middle School.

Although the parent who filed the complaint was not present at the hearing, members of the community shared their opinions on whether the book is acceptable to read in school.

The complaint, filed on Dec. 11, included a binder full of materials and documentation for the school officials to review. The parent’s concerns focused on various themes in the book, including violence, murder, sacrifice and more.

According to public documents, when a complaint is filed, the school-level review committee must meet within 15 school days to discuss the issue. The committee then formulates a recommendation to provide to the school board.

Within 90 days after the complaint is filed, the school board must conduct a public meeting to consider the complaint and vote on whether to approve or deny the request.

The committee acknowledged that the book does contain violence but does not contain any sexual content that violates state policies.

The Hunger Games, published in 2008 by Suzanne Collins, follows a young teenager forced to compete in the brutal Hunger Games, where contestants from different districts fight to the death. As the story unfolds, a revolt against the Capitol begins.

During the public meeting, community members voiced their opinions on the matter. Many disagreed, stating the book should not be banned and also pointed out that students could opt out of reading the book and choose another novel instead.

Public records also outline specific criteria for evaluating the educational appropriateness of materials. School board members consider the following criteria to determine the educational suitability of the material: (1) the material’s academic or educational rigor, (2) the material’s educational significance, (3) the material's validity, accuracy, objectivity, currency and appropriateness, among other factors. They must also consider whether there are other books that might offer academic value. 

At the end of the public hearing, the board members voted to uphold the district-level committee’s recommendation to keep the Hunger Games available at the middle school level, rejecting the complainant’s request to remove it. 

Members Beth Shealy, Chris Rice, Kathy Henson, Mike Anderson and Nicholas Pizzuti voted in favor of keeping the book, while Katie McCown voted against it and McKenzie Flashnick abstained. 

However, the person who filed the complaint may file a written appeal to the State Board of Education within 30 days following the public hearing.