Former Leander ISD trustee Jim MacKay cites inappropriate content within school literature as reasons for resigning.

MacKay wrote an email to Superintendent Bruce Gearing and LISD President Trish Bode Sept. 10 explaining his resignation. MacKay publicly stated two weeks ago that if inappropriate reading selections made it into school curriculum again, he would expect resignations, he wrote in the email. During a school board meeting Aug. 26, the board voted 6-1 regarding new policies concerning the selection of instructional materials. MacKay voted against the new policies.

"This situation does not require a committee, nor re-evaluation of policy and procedure," MacKay said in the email. "No, what it requires is for those responsible for the potential psychological abuse of our children to be immediately terminated. That is not going to happen under this superintendent or this board."

Parents began raising concerns about certain reading materials in Nov. 2020 due to social justice themes and sexual content within certain books. Other parents expressed support for these books, citing the diversity of book options students can choose for book clubs. The Community Curriculum Advisory Committee, or CCAC, ran a thorough review of all potential reading materials and found that 100 books in the 2020-21 book club list met review criteria, while 13 books did not and were removed.

MacKay’s goal during his service with the board was to keep the health and safety of the children in mind, he said in the email.