The Georgia House of Representatives passed a bill to change the process by which books can be removed from school libraries. | LubosHouska/Pixabay
The Georgia House of Representatives passed a bill to change the process by which books can be removed from school libraries. | LubosHouska/Pixabay
A shift in the way books can be removed from school libraries may be underway as the Georgia House of Representatives recently passed a bill seeking to implement changes to the process.
The legislation has earned the support of the House, a recent report from FOX 5 Atlanta said. But the ACLU, the Georgia Library Media Association and other education groups have voiced concerns over its implementation.
House Minority Leader James Beverly joined the opposition, citing the bill as an "egregious attack on freedom of speech" and deeming it an unnecessary measure, the report said.
Currently, a school committee is in place to oversee the selection and removal of books and other materials from school libraries.
"If a parent has any problem with any book, any part of the curriculum, they already have a place to go," Beverly told FOX 5 Atlanta. "It's been spelled out for years."
Senate Bill 226 passed the House on March 25, the report said. If it is signed into law, it would allow parents to directly address their concerns with the school's principal or other designated person to discuss the material's removal.
The bill, introduced by State Sen. Jason Anavitarte, comes after numerous complaints from parents over library materials, the report said.
"The bill defines material that is 'harmful to minors' as 'description or representation, in whatever form, of nudity, sexual conduct, sexual excitement or sadomasochistic abuse, when it: (1) taken as a whole, predominantly appeals to the prurient, shameful or morbid interest of minors; (2) is patently offensive to prevailing standards in the adult community as a whole with respect to what is suitable material for minors; and (3) is, when taken as a whole, lacking in serious literary, artistic, political or scientific 24 value for minors," the report said.
The bill also establishes a timeline for principals to investigate and make a decision on the removal of library materials and gives parents a chance to appeal the decision to the local school board, the report said.
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