Late Wednesday, a Georgia Senate committee approved legislation that aims to establish a state council responsible for setting standards regarding the banning of books deemed obscene from public school libraries.
“This bill aims to ensure that our public school libraries are safe spaces for children, free from the exposure to sexually explicit materials,” declared Senator Clint Dixon, the chief sponsor of the bill and chairman of the Senate Education and Youth Committee, prior to the vote.
Senate Bill 394 aims to establish the Georgia Council of Library Materials Standards, comprising members appointed by key officials such as the governor, lieutenant governor, speaker of the House, House minority leader, and Senate minority leader. The council’s primary responsibility would be to develop a grading system that determines whether certain books should be classified as “harmful to minors” or “sexually explicit,” consequently leading to their prohibition.
Schools that do not adhere to the standards set by the council will not face criminal charges. However, they may face complaints from parents, which could potentially result in lawsuits.
On Wednesday, representatives from various faith-based organizations expressed their support for the bill.
According to Taylor Hawkins from the FrontLine Policy Council, the intention behind this measure is to prevent children in public schools from accessing material that is already prohibited on the streets of Georgia.
He described the bill as a common-sense approach.
However, some civil rights advocates and educators have expressed concerns that the bill could potentially be used to target books that discuss homosexuality.
According to Tracey Nance, who was named Georgia’s Teacher of the Year for 2020-21, approximately 10% of the state’s population identifies as LGBTQ.
She expressed her discontent with the bill, stating that it does not align with the desires and values of the people of Georgia.
According to Sen. Elena Parent, D-Atlanta, the legalization of gay marriage by the U.S. Supreme Court has granted full legal rights to gay Americans.
But committee Republicans emphasized that the legislation does not seek to marginalize any specific groups of Georgians.
According to Senator Ed Setzler, a Republican from Acworth, the focus of the legislation is not on targeting any particular sexual act or promoting indoctrination among students.
The Senate Rules Committee will now schedule a floor vote for the legislation.