State Sen. Jim Tomes, R-Wadesville, speaks Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2023, in favor of his legislation creating a process for the parent of any student enrolled in a public or charter school to challenge any school library book as "inappropriate." Screenshot
An overwhelming majority of Indiana senators believe public school libraries seemingly are filled with pornographic, obscene and otherwise inappropriate materials, and something must be done about it.
For some two hours Tuesday, members of the Republican-controlled chamber held forth on the "bad," "sickening," "nasty," "raw pornography" they contend is filling the shelves of school libraries just waiting to destroy the innocence of helpless children.
"We're talking about really, really, really bad books," said state Sen. Jim Tomes, R-Wadesville. "It's so disgusting that I couldn't even bring myself to open it up."
Tomes, the sponsor of Senate Bill 12, did not identify a single book by title he believes is beyond the pale.
Instead, he cited book lists compiled by conservative parent activists in Indiana and elsewhere as proof there's a big problem at Hoosier elementary, middle and high school libraries.
While Tomes acknowledged some of those lists include literary classics, such as "The Great Gatsby," "Catch-22" and "The Grapes of Wrath," he explained that his interest is centered on removing books that "are just full-bore graphic pictures and illustrations."
In fact, the majority of the material parent activists identify as "pornography" consists of nonfiction narratives and novels that merely include scenes of sex, drug use or racism, along with illustrated guides to puberty and growing up, such as "Let's Talk About It: The Teen's Guide to Sex, Relationships, and Being a Human."
State Sen. Rodney Pol Jr., D-Chesterton, said none of the 50 state senators are interested in seeing pornography distributed through public school libraries in Indiana.
But Pol said Tomes' proposal permitting challenges to all "inappropriate" books opens the door to activists challenging books that speak specifically to issues, such as drug use and sexual identity, which often are sought out by youths and teens who might otherwise read nothing.
"This will be used for ill purposes," Pol said. "You're going to have schools and libraries that are already overworked and understaffed having to deal with complaints from people with a political agenda."
Under the plan, a parent's complaint about a school library book initially would be reviewed by a certified school librarian who must decide that either: the book be removed from the library, the book be restricted to an age-limited section of the library, or the complaint be denied through a written response to the parent.
If the complaint is denied, the parent could appeal first to the school principal, and then to the school board, who each would have the same options of leaving the challenged book on the shelf, restricting it or removing it.
The measure also specifies that schools could not make available any book deemed obscene or harmful to minors, which generally comprises material that appeals to a prurient interest in sex and is considered as a whole to lack serious literary, artistic, political or scientific value.
In tandem with that provision, the legislation specifies a school employee no longer would be entitled to claim an "educational" defense for knowingly or intentionally disseminating material found to be harmful to minors — subjecting school librarians, teachers and principals to potential criminal prosecution.
In addition, each school would be obligated to post online, and make available on paper to every parent who requests it, a detailed and regularly updated list of every single book contained in the school library.
Among Northwest Indiana lawmakers, the proposal was supported by every Republican senator and opposed by every Democrat.
It now goes to the Republican-controlled House for possible revision and a decision on advancing it to Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb to be signed into law.
Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch, who serves as the Senate's presiding officer and is seeking the 2024 GOP nomination for governor, promptly endorsed the policy in a tweet posted shortly after the measure won Senate approval.
"The school library should be a place for learning, not a license for grooming. I support Senate Bill 12 and will never stop advocating for more parental involvement in Hoosier education," Crouch said. "We must fight the political and progressive takeover of our schools."
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