Senate Bill number 2421, sponsored by Senators M. Teresa Ruiz and Andrew Zwicker, is making its way through the New Jersey Legislature. In a case of typical leftist overstatement, if passed, it will bear the name “Freedom to Read Act.” A more accurate title would be the “Make Porn Permanent Act.”
A Verbal Slight-of-Hand Trick
The bill starts with a premise wrenched out of any reasonable context.
“The freedom to read is a human right, constitutionally protected by the First Amendment of the United States Constitution, and individuals have the right to free inquiry and the right to form their own opinions.”
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However, in this act, the phrase “freedom to read” is a smokescreen—no one is threatening anyone’s ability to read.
In Praise of Librarians
The smoke grows more impenetrable when Senators Ruiz and Zwicker praise the place of libraries in American life.
“School libraries and public libraries, as centers for voluntary inquiry, play a unique role in promoting intellectual freedom, providing equitable access to learning resources, and promoting democracy by providing service to all regardless of race, ethnicity, creed, age, ability, gender, or socio-economic status.”
Despite its bureaucratic tone, no one doubts the truth of this statement either. Indeed, the nation’s young people have been going to libraries to choose what they want to read for generations. Millions of adults have fond memories of childhood trips to the library. They were excited to find books that appealed to their interests. They enjoyed the times that librarians read stories to them. The warm, cheery, and bright—yet calm and orderly—atmosphere of the “Children’s Room” is a cherished bit of American nostalgia.
Deferring to the “Professionals”
It is only in the following two paragraphs that the situation becomes debatable.
“School library media specialists and librarians are essential members of the community; as trained professionals, they help young people of all backgrounds find and interpret the information they need to succeed in school and prepare for college, careers, and life.”
“School library media specialists and librarians receive extensive professional training that prepares them to develop and curate collections designed to meet the broad and varied interests and needs of their communities and students, which is based on a variety of factors, including pedagogical value, student interest, and the age-appropriateness of the material.”
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Again, no one doubts that dedicated and well-trained librarians can be an asset to any community. However, the nature of the “professional training” they receive is highly questionable.
Leftist Indoctrination
There is not space in this article to discuss the abundant evidence of the overwhelmingly leftist doctrines of the American Library Association (ALA) in detail. The fact that the organization vigorously promotes the infamous “Drag Queen Story Hours” is sufficient to clarify its intentions.
It should come as no surprise that most commonly accepted library science degrees come from schools that the ALA accredits. No one gets through one of those schools without a thorough indoctrination based upon the ALA’s “Library Bill of Rights.”
That list denounces any form of censorship. However, the crucial tenet is number five. “A person’s right to use a library should not be denied or abridged because of origin, age, background, or views.
Pornography for All
At first, this provision looks like the boilerplate language used by governments at all levels to prevent discrimination. However, “age” has a very special connotation in this context. The ALA interprets it to mean that all materials on any subject—including sexual activities of any nature—should be made available to all patrons, even the youngest.
What does this mean for parents trying to preserve their children’s innocence? The answer is simple. Librarians who subscribe to ALA ideology are working to corrupt your child.
The only reasonable conclusion is that the library’s administration will oppose vigilant parents.
Designed Not to Work
New Jersey’s Senate Bill does set up a process under which parents can register their complaints against a school library. Section five of the bill spells out the complex procedure.
First, a parent must turn in a “request for removal form” to the school principal.
Then, the principal must appoint a “review committee” within ten school days. The committee must include the principal (or principal’s designee), the school “media specialist” (librarian), a representative of the board of education, a “grade-appropriate teacher” who is “familiar with the library material,” a parent or guardian—but not the one who registered the complaint—and anyone else the principal deems necessary.
Once appointed, the review committee has thirty school days to review the material. They must compile a written report.
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The final step is that the entire board of education reviews the report and makes its determination. There is no specific time limit for the board to act. Do parents ever get to present their cases other than on the original form? That depends on the board’s rules.
The Delusion of Parental Involvement
However, the legislation specifically requires that “a challenged library material remain within the school library and available for a student to reserve, check out, or access until there is a final decision reached by the board of education.”
This process is clearly designed to leave the offensive material on the shelves permanently.
No one should be deceived by the “Freedom to Read Act.” The only freedoms it is designed to protect are those endorsed by the American Library Association and to make porn permanent.
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