Bill on complaints process for ‘harmful’ school materials advances

FRANKFORT, Ky. — A invoice on how native college boards deal with mother or father complaints about books and different supplies has moved ahead in Frankfort.

Sen. Jason Howell (R-Murray) mentioned the aim of Senate Invoice 5 is to verify mother and father and guardians are concerned in holding college students from accessing materials they assume is dangerous to household values. 

It defines what’s thought-about “dangerous to minors” as supplies that present, “in an obscene method,” genitals or descriptions of sexual acts or are “patently offensive to prevailing requirements.” 

The measure requires native college boards to arrange insurance policies to deal with complaints and says principals should evaluate the grievance inside every week to resolve if the fabric ought to stay, be restricted or eliminated. 

The invoice additionally units up an appeals course of. 

“I believe what we have been making an attempt to perform right here with the work that was achieved on this statute, is to afford mother and father as a lot management and as a lot management inside their native communities as potential,” mentioned Howell. “One thing that could be seen a sure approach, a cloth or occasion that is perhaps seen a sure approach in Fulton County, is perhaps seen in another way by mother and father or college techniques in Fayette County.”

Kate Miller, advocacy director with the ACLU of Kentucky, referred to as the invoice “state-sponsored censorship.” 

“It seems that this most up-to-date instance could also be in response to a ebook or books associated to sexual orientation or gender identification, however in years previous, the main target has been on race, and in coming years, it is going to be on one thing new, however what’s not new is that this legislature, regardless of celebration, has at all times and doubtless will at all times prioritize censoring viewpoints which can be inconsistent with their very own,” she mentioned. 

The one member to vote in opposition to the measure in committee, Sen. Reginald Thomas (D-Lexington), referred to as it a “book-banning invoice” that limits training. 

Sen. Stephen Meredith (R-Leitchfield) mentioned the invoice was not unreasonable. 

“It places a course of in place, a due course of in place so mother and father can ask this to be judged and any person makes a ultimate willpower,” he mentioned. “It’s simply not banning books wholesale.”

The invoice handed the Senate Thursday afternoon and heads subsequent to the Home for consideration.