Help Stop the Pornographic Schoolbook Bills HB4229/SB2528

MA legislators want to make it near impossible to remove porn from K-12 public school libraries and give woke activist school librarians more power.

The deceptively named bills “An Act regarding free expression" are designed to keep vulgar, sexually explicit books on the shelves of public school libraries, where minor students can access them. That’s why we’ve named them the Pornographic Schoolbook Bills.

Under the guise of preventing “book banning,” radical legislators want to make it nearly impossible for local school committees to protect children from age-inappropriate content at school.

We oppose this legislation because if passed, it would:

• Prevent a school committee from removing an explicit book from a library unless the book is “devoid of any educational, literary, artistic or social value or is not age appropriate for any children who attend the school.” This means that if a book could conceivably be deemed appropriate for the most mature high school senior, it must be kept in the school library. This subjectively worded standard sets no real limit on what material can be in school libraries; everything will be fair game.
  
  
• Force a one-size-fits-all policy created by the State onto all school districts in Massachusetts. This new policy would give almost unlimited discretion to school librarians to decide which books are age-appropriate for students and impose a cumbersome review process if a school committee disagrees with a librarian’s decision.
  
  
• Give people a right to sue their school if they disagree with a school’s decision to remove an explicit book. This shocking provision shows just how radical these bills are.

Parents, through the elected school committee members who represent them, should have the ultimate say on what content is appropriate for their children. But these bills would tie their hands.

Please tell your legislators to do everything possible to stop the Pornographic Schoolbook bills by contacting them today!

Click the Take Action link below for a phone or email script. The phone number of your representative is listed on the Take Action page. If using the call option, please record the result, and then click Save Call Data. Or you can choose the email option with our talking points to email your representative. 

Remember to insert the last name(s) of your elected official(s) in the greeting of the email!