*By Julie Barrett, Founder, Conservative Ladies of America
Legislators across America are working to adopt policies for K12 public education called the “Freedom to Read Act.” This is in direct response to the parent movement across the country where parents are showing up to school board meetings, reciting passages from books in their students’ schools that are sexually explicit, age inappropriate, and controversial.
My former home state of Washington passed HB 2331 this session which prohibits school districts from removing any materials, textbooks, library books from the school that are written by “protected classes”, primarily LGBTQ individuals. This policy will force good teachers who do not want to teach this inappropriate material to their students to leave the profession altogether. We know that parents will continue to unenroll their children from the public school system.
Oregon is working to pass a nearly identical bill, SB 1583, which passed the Senate 17-12 and is currently in the House Committee on Rules.
New Jersey has also proposed a similar bill, S2421, this policy to protect librarians from threats of book bans, violence and harassment. The bill prohibits the removal of books based on gender identity.
New Jersey’s S 2421 states: “it is necessary and proper for the Legislature to protect the freedom of New Jersey’s residents to read, for school libraries and public libraries to acquire and maintain materials without external limitations, to recognize that school library media specialists and librarians are trained to curate and develop collections, and to protect school library media specialists and librarians from unnecessary and unwarranted harassment and defamation for performance of their duties.”
So basically, kids have to have easy access to these garbage “graphic novels” that show boys giving other boys blow jobs and other sexually explicit and inappropriate content. This is not about inclusion. It is not about literacy and giving children access to enriching literature. It is an effort to groom and indoctrinate children.
Grooming is a term used to describe what sexual predators and abusers do to children to make it easier to abuse them. Giving children pornographic materials is a means to teach them that these acts depicted in these books are normal, good and acceptable.
In Maryland, HB 785, also called the “Freedom to Read Act” was introduced by democrats as part of a “decency agenda.” How ironic. The prime sponsor, Delegate Dana Jones said: “This crucial and timely legislation will safeguard our libraries from becoming the next frontier of censorship, protecting literature and the freedom for readers to choose for themselves,”
Under this legislation, a person cannot “knowingly and” unlawfully TAKE, disfigure, or ruin any book or other library property.
Someone found accused of such acts would be charged with a misdemeanor and, if found guilty, could spend up to 10 months in jail, pay a fine not exceeding $1,000, or both.
These materials are not just inappropriate for children, but they are very dangerous. Children do not have the mental and emotional maturity to handle these kinds of materials which is why we have laws protecting them from these. And now we have democrat lawmakers who are committed not just to forcing the materials into schools but to criminalize those who challenge them. It’s anti-American.
Save America – homeschool your children.
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