Book bans are the focus of a new bill being proposed at the state capitol.
Some lawmakers are looking to block them and offer more protections to librarians.
But the measure is facing opposition.
Amid concerns about book bans across the country, a bill has been introduced in the state legislature that would essentially block them.
“We need to, you know, protect our libraries, protect free speech, make sure that parents are in control, not some sort of radical group,” Sen. Bob Duff (D–Majority Leader) said.
The proposed measure would:
“…prohibit public and school libraries from excluding or censoring books because of the origin, background or views of the material or of its authors, or solely because a person finds such books offensive.”
In the last few years, book controversies have taken place including in Colchester, Goshen and Newtown.
Opponents of the bill argue some parents might consider certain books to be graphic and don’t think they belong in a classroom or in a library.
“They’re looking to make sure that the material that is given to students is age appropriate. You know, banning books would be, you know, to prevent them from being produced and sold and available,” Sen. Rob Sampson (R–Wolcott) said.
The bill also:
- Requires local school boards and public libraries to create policies for book curation and the removal of materials, including a way to address concerns with certain items
- Provides librarians with immunity from criminal and civil liability if they act in good faith to follow the law
- Allows librarians to sue someone following harassment if they were following the rules
The Connecticut Association of School Librarians is in support of the bill.
“We really want students and their families to have a say in what books they read,” Jenny Lussier, Connecticut Association of School Librarians, said. “And we want to make sure that we, as school librarians, also are protected in that way as well.”
But some are against the bill, including because they say it gives too much power to librarians.
“We don’t understand why they think they need that. We think that this is something that belongs with the community and with their elected representatives,” Peter Wolfgang, Family Institute of Connecticut president, said.
Now after introducing the bill, Duff said someone called his office and made a violent threat toward him. He said Capitol police are investigating.
NBC Connecticut reached out to them but hasn’t heard back yet.
This post was originally published on here
