Every year there's a few bills in the Missouri Legislature that, while they likely won't pass, they sure create a buzz.
One such bill this year is sponsored by Rep. Bill Baker, R-Neosho. The bill targets "drag queen story hours" - library events in which drag queens read books to children.
The "Parental Oversight of Public Libraries Act" would create a panel of parents to ban content that goes against the community's standards.
If a public library's five-member review board deemed a particular book contained "age-inappropriate sexual material," the board would be authorized to order the library to "remove it from public access by minors."
Public libraries that did not comply would lose state funding, and individual libraries could be fined/jailed.
The bill has garnered national attention.
James Tager called Baker's bill "a shockingly transparent attempt to legalize book banning." Tager is the deputy director of free expression research and policy for PEN America, a nonprofit organization that works to defend and celebrate free expression in the United States and worldwide through the advancement of literature and human rights.
We agree such censorship sets a bad precedent. Where would it stop? What's educational to you might be objectionable to someone else.
The purpose of libraries is to expand your mind - learn new things, challenge your assumptions, consider other points of view.
Is there material in libraries that isn't suited to children? Yes, and between parents and libraries' policies, children don't have to see it.
The Guardian recently reported the Missouri Library Association opposes the bill, saying: "Public libraries already have procedures in place to assist patrons in protecting their own children while not infringing on the rights of other patrons or restricting materials."
As for programming such as drag queen story hours, libraries already are subject to community standards. Our community has always leaned conservative. Our library recognizes and respects this, and they have no plans to host such an event.
Baker's bill is unnecessary. What's worse, it's dangerous.
News Tribune