> The Washington Post reports that 17 states are currently “weighing” bills that would remove long-standing exemptions protecting librarians from prosecution for distributing material deemed inappropriate for minors, a carve-out that allows them to offer books containing accurate information on things like sex education without having to worry about going to prison. Those bills, per the Post, would look similar to an Arkansas law that was signed last year (and later blocked) that says school and public librarians can be sentenced to up to six years in prison (or fined $10,000) for distributing “obscene” or “harmful” material to students under 18. The bill’s definition of what constitutes harmful or obscene material is extremely broad, and includes books and performances that, among other things, “describe” nudity. Similar laws have been signed in Indiana, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Tennessee.
https://www.vanityfair.com/news/17-states-are-considering-laws-that-would-imprison-librarians
Leave a Reply