Book banning groups turn their focus booting Yearbooks out of LS high schools

Following their barrage against dozens of books in Lee’s Summit R-7 libraries, a Lee’s Summit group looking to ban more reading material has turned their collective eyes on a new target - yearbooks.

Kirsten Brown, head of B.O.O.B. - Banning Offensive & Objectionable Books - announced Wednesday her group would like to see certain Yearbooks removed from Lee’s Summit High School’s library and archives.

“We’ve flipped through the pages of some yearbooks from the 1970s recently,” Brown said. “Do you realize several students dressed up like ‘The Village People’ in 1978 and actually had their photo taken with a science teacher?”

Brown and her B.O.O.B. colleagues recently lobbied the LSR7 Board of Education to remove all Yearbooks from 1971-1983 from the school. Among their written grievances, B.O.O.B. members noted offensive costumes, references to drag and ‘woke’ educators sponsoring clubs they’ve never heard of.

“You realize, most of those teachers from the early 70s are deceased, right?” School Board member Allan Ruth asked.

To illustrate her point, Brown opened several Tiger High yearbooks from the 1970s - many of which were abandoned by students and sent to archives - to read aloud from the signature pages.

“So, on the inside cover of this 1973 Lee’s Summit Reflector Yearbook, I read you a passage that would never be allowed in our classrooms,” Brown began, “‘Hey Roger! Later days mean greater lays! Stay cool this summer. I’ll see you on 3rd - smokin’ dope and jumpin’ rope!’”

“If our students are subject to the filth of these yearbooks from 50 years ago, can you imagine what’s next?” Brown asked rhetorically. “When people like Roger continue to encourage drug use and sexual activity among our students, it’s time for us to take a stand.”

Exceeding her time limit and utilizing the overhead projector, Brown displayed several images of questionable attire and behaviors from the 1970s yearbooks.

“Too much chest hair. High school boys wearing jewelry. Long hair. This is absolute madness.”

LSR7 Superintendent Dr. Devin Black asked if the entire presentation from Brown and the B.O.O.B.s was a practical joke.

“So, what’s next? Do we need to remove the old student handbooks too?” Black asked.

Brown and her B.O.O.B.s subsequently abandoned their presentation and left the board meeting to seek out handbooks from the 70s.