Hamilton County parent raises concerns over classroom reading assignment

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – A Hamilton County parent is speaking out after learning her child’s class was assigned The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini, saying she was not informed or asked for consent and believes the book contains content inappropriate for students.

According to Kelly Hubbard, the issue came to her attention after her son brought the book home and asked her to review it before reading.

Hubbard said she immediately found passages she considered alarming.

“The teacher sent the book home with paper clips marking the places I should read,” Hubbard said. “The first two passages were so alarming that I was uncomfortable reading them in my own home, and I knew immediately that I was not going to let my son read this content.”

Hubbard addressed the Hamilton County School Board during a recent meeting and said she was the first parent to speak that night. She said she expressed concerns about the book’s content and about not being informed ahead of time.

“I stood up and explained my concerns with the content that was in the book and the fact that I was not made aware of the content or asked for consent,” Hubbard said. “I was not asked for permission, and the content was something I would not let my child read.”

Hubbard claims that after she finished speaking, the board did not immediately respond to her comments.

“There were a lot of emotions going through me,” she said. “When no one acknowledged my concerns and then addressed the next speaker, it felt very alarming to me.”

School board member Felice Hadden later addressed that concern, saying board members do not always respond immediately during public comment.

“Sometimes board members are gathering their thoughts or listening carefully to what is being said before responding,” Hadden said. “A lack of immediate response does not mean the concern is being dismissed.”

Hubbard said her concerns go beyond this specific book and center on parental involvement and consent.

According to Hubbard, the content she reviewed would be considered rated R if it were a film.

“There is intense violence and very explicit sexual content,” she said. “Rated R material requires parental consent, and no one asked my consent to put that in front of my child.”

She also said she believes schools should focus on academic fundamentals and leave discussions of sensitive topics to families.

“Topics like violence, suicide, rape, and sex are conversations I believe parents should be having with their children,” Hubbard said. “I do not believe that is the role of the education system.”

Hubbard further claimed that exposure to graphic material could be harmful to students who have experienced trauma.

“We do not know each child’s story,” she said. “Putting material in front of children that could retraumatize them is not fair to students or parents.”

Following the complaint, Hamilton County Schools released a statement explaining the district’s response.

According to the district, Superintendent Dr. Justin Robertson directed an immediate review after learning of concerns about the book’s content.

“Upon hearing the complaint about the book’s inclusion of graphic content not suitable for the classroom, Superintendent Dr. Justin Robertson directed an immediate review,” the statement reads. “The teacher selected the text in good faith as enrichment material, based on resources that had been used in previous years, and provided a parental opt out notice sufficiently in advance of the book being used in the classroom.”

Hubbard stated. “I was not asked for permission, and the content was something I would not let my child read.”

The district stated that after completing its review, the lesson was removed.

“After review, the district determined that the material no longer meets our current standards for age-appropriate instructional content and has since removed the lesson from the classroom,” the statement reads.

Dr. Robertson also addressed the situation directly, acknowledging concerns raised by parents.

“As a district, we must hold ourselves accountable to both academic excellence and community standards,” Robertson said. “In this situation, I do agree that this book was not appropriate for the classroom setting.”

Robertson praised teachers while emphasizing the importance of alignment with age-appropriate expectations.

“I’m proud of the diligent work of our teachers to challenge and inspire students through rigorous instruction,” he said. “When concerns are expressed, we use them as opportunities to reflect on whether classroom content aligns with our instructional goals and age-appropriate expectations.”

He encouraged continued communication between families and schools.

“We believe rigorous content can and must coexist with respect for parents’ values,” Robertson said. “I encourage parents to stay engaged in their child’s educational experience and to connect directly with teachers, principals, and district leaders when they have questions or concerns. We will always take concerns seriously and act accordingly.”

School board member Felice Hadden, who represents District 10 in Ooltewah, said the excerpt read during the meeting was troubling.

“A parent came forward and read an excerpt from a book that her child was required to read, and it was very sexually graphic,” Hadden said. “It was disturbing to me that students were being required to read that kind of material in our schools.”

Hadden said she supports reviewing reading lists to ensure content is appropriate.

“It should be on an approved reading list that we all have access to,” she said. “I would like for the administration to provide approved reading lists so we can review them.”

She emphasized that the issue is not about banning books.

“We are not talking about banning books,” Hadden said. “We are talking about removing sexually graphic and explicit material that is inappropriate for students.”

Hadden said this was the first time she was aware of a parent bringing forward personal testimony about a child’s exposure to explicit content, which prompted further review.

For Hubbard, the situation highlights what she believes is a need for clearer boundaries between parental responsibility and the education system.

Moving forward, she said she hopes the district and school board will reassess how classroom materials are selected and how parents are informed.

Below, you can read the full statement from Hamilton County Schools regarding The Kite Runner.

Hamilton County Schools’ Statement on The Kite Runner

December 23, 2025
“Chattanooga, TN – Hamilton County Schools takes seriously its responsibility to partner with parents
in providing a rigorous, age-appropriate education for all students. Late last week, HCS leadership
was made aware of a parent concern regarding The Kite Runner, a book selected as supplemental
material for a high school English class prepared for the third quarter. The book was not part of the
district’s curriculum or novel study list.
Upon hearing the complaint about the book’s inclusion of graphic content not suitable for the
classroom, Superintendent Dr. Justin Robertson directed an immediate review. The teacher selected
the text in good faith as enrichment material, based on resources that had been used in previous
years, and provided a parental opt-out notice sufficiently in advance of the book being used in the
classroom. After review, the district determined that the material no longer meets our current
standards for age-appropriate instructional content and has since removed the lesson from the
classroom.
“As a district, we must hold ourselves accountable to both academic excellence and community
standards. In this situation, I do agree that this book was not appropriate for the classroom setting,”
said Dr. Robertson. “I’m proud of the diligent work of our teachers to challenge and inspire students
through their commitment to rigorous instruction. When concerns are expressed, we use them as
opportunities to reflect on whether classroom content aligns with our instructional goals and
age-appropriate expectations. We believe rigorous content can and must coexist with respect for
parents’ values. I encourage parents to stay engaged in their child’s educational experience and to
connect directly with teachers, principals, and district leaders when they have questions or concerns.
We will always take concerns seriously and act accordingly.”
“I heard the concerns brought before the Board last week and quickly connected with Dr. Robertson
to learn more about the situation. I wholeheartedly believe this book should not be present in our
classrooms and we agreed there was a need for immediate action,” said Board Member Steve Slater,
who represents District 1. “Parents have a right to know what is being taught and to have a voice in
that process. I am glad that our team moved quickly and listened carefully. This is how we build
trust.”
School Board Policies 4.402 and 4.403 outline the responsibility of Hamilton County Schools in
determining approved instructional materials and the process by which any instructional material
can be reconsidered. Moving forward, we encourage parents and community members to review
these policies and follow the approved process to engage with school leaders when they have
concerns about the content of instructional materials. We will continue to respond quickly and
thoughtfully when concerns arise, and we are committed to making sure families feel heard and
respected throughout their child’s educational journey.”