Bill would allow parents to decide whether children should have access to controversial books, with heavy penalties if libraries disobey.
A Missouri bill intended to bar libraries in the US state from stocking “age-inappropriate sexual material” for children has been described by critics as “a shockingly transparent attempt to legalise book banning” that could land librarians who refuse to comply with it in jail.
Under the parental oversight of public libraries bill, which has been proposed by Missouri Republican Ben Baker, panels of parents would be elected to evaluate whether books are appropriate for children.
Public hearings would then be held by the boards to ask for suggestions of potentially inappropriate books, with public libraries that allow minors access to such titles to have their funding stripped.
Librarians who refuse to comply could be fined and imprisoned for up to one year.
The Missouri Library Association said it was opposing the bill, because it “will always stand against censorship and for the freedom to read”.
I just think that we need to be careful about funding something with our taxpayer dollars without parental consent. »
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