Know the Truth: Guarding Kids’ Innocence is NOT Banning Books
There’s a lot of shockingly inappropriate material being pushed on kids—and I’m not referring to online porn or apps. It’s shocking because of who is disseminating it— those institutions we used to trust: schools and public libraries.
Of course, this is a complex and nuanced topic requiring wisdom and discretion. We must ultimately guard our precious children, but also our freedom of speech. Thankfully we have the benefit of hours of research by our Senior Advisor, Adrienne Johnson! She shares what’s really going on with libraries, as well as useful links for resources and ways to contact public officials. This blog is a WEALTH of information. Let’s take our libraries back for everyone—to lift up knowledge, wonder and creativity, and stop the degradation. ~ Kim
Banned Books Week is here. This event began in 1982 and is promoted by the American Library Association and others in response to an increase in book challenges and a 1982 U.S. Supreme Court case. Part of the SCOTUS decision was that, "a board should not be able to remove books simply because it does not agree with the ideas contained within them.”
At the same time, the court created an exception for the removal of library books that are “pervasively vulgar” or those that are “educationally unsuitable.”
We’ve seen proof in Arizona that school library books can be removed if they are vulgar or educationally unsuitable. A committee of parents and school staff removed the book, “Things I Have to Tell You”, from the shelves of a Mesa school in 2014.
Just two years ago the book, "So You’ve Been Publicly Shamed”, was removed from a Paradise Valley Unified AP Lit summer reading list by the superintendent, as it was deemed pornographic. As per ARS 13-3506, "It is unlawful for any person, with knowledge of the character of the item involved, to recklessly furnish, present, provide, make available, give, lend, show, advertise or distribute to minors any item that is harmful to minors."
Arizona now has an even more detailed 2022 statute, HB2495, that states: A PUBLIC SCHOOL IN THIS STATE MAY NOT REFER STUDENTS TO OR USE ANY SEXUALLY EXPLICIT MATERIAL IN ANY MANNER....
Still, parents and some school board members are concerned that sexually explicit and inappropriate materials remain on school library shelves, and are even assigned by teachers. Many parents have begun checking the shelves of their child’s classroom libraries and are working with their child's teachers, principal, superintendent, and board to ensure schools are free of vulgar and educationally unsuitable books.
What about AZ public libraries? There are grave concerns about the books in our public libraries. The shelves have plenty of books that are pornographic and inappropriately suggestive in the Children’s, Juvenile, and Teen sections. Almost all US public libraries are affiliated with "The American Library Association (ALA), the leftist nonprofit organization that promotes libraries and library education internationally".
The ALA not only has a questionable past, it is now run by newly elected, Emily Drabinski, a self-proclaimed Marxist. She has stated, “Public education needs to be a site of socialist organizing. I think libraries really do too.”
The fact that America has a Marxist guiding our libraries is very telling. As The Heritage Foundation points out, Marxists (beginning with those in the Hungarian Communist Party) "quickly realized that the way to completely change society was to destroy the most important civil society institution, the family. Its culture and education commissar, George Lukacs, therefore instituted a system to instruct young children into sexual perversions. Special lectures were organized in schools and literature printed and distributed to ‘instruct’ children about free love, about the nature of sexual intercourse, about the archaic nature of bourgeois family codes, about the outdatedness of monogamy, and the irrelevance of religion, which ‘deprives man of all pleasure’. Children urged thus to reject and deride paternal authority, and the authority of the church, and to ignore precepts of morality.”
It’s therefore no surprise to see pornographic, sexually explicit, and educationally unsuitable books for children in public libraries and on recommended reading lists.
Where are the books with wholesome, enriching subject matter? What about the responsibility of adults - authors, librarians, library boards, as well as parents?
Unfortunately, Arizona laws do not pertain to public libraries, at least not to our knowledge. Because many citizens are worried about our freedoms and about “banning books”, we continue to have inappropriate books available to our Arizona kids.
So, what can we do?
First thing is to share this article - Being informed is a vital first step towards change. Then here is our Call to Action list. (Some steps are super easy, while others will take you to be bold and determined to create real change for your community.)
A. Save school libraries. Be vigilant like this AZ parent.
Look through the school library in person or through the catalog. Refer to No Left Turn’s rated books list for ideas as to what books to look for.
Visit your child’s classroom and talk to teachers about books they make available INSIDE the class.
Work with your child’s teacher and principal if inappropriate books are found.
If nothing is resolved, take it to the superintendent and school board.
The next step would be bringing it to the attention of your lawmakers.
Contact organizations like AZWomenOfAction.com and Protect AZ Children Coalition.
Expose issues on our AZ Women of Action social media accounts, @AZWokeSchools on X (former Twitter), and @AZWokeSchools on Instagram. Please share your findings including pictures and videos.
B. Visit public libraries
Preview what books your child chooses throughout the library since there are inappropriate books everywhere, including the children’s section. Consider not letting them browse alone.
Be mindful of book recommendations, library book clubs, activities, and special events.
Consider putting books on hold and picking them up to minimize browsing.
Read this manual: The Book Ban Mirage
C. Be an Effective Citizen
Check public libraries for pornographic, explicit, inappropriate materials including recommended lists, or events that glorify or propagandize (vs appropriately discuss):
a. Suicide – This show (based on a book) has been associated with an increase in suicides.
b. Self-harm
c. Racism
d. Sex
e. Drugs
f. LGBT
g. Transgender ideology
h. Disorders such as anorexia
i. Activism (i.e., BLM or other Marxist destruction)
j. Mental and emotional issues
Email concerns with the library manager, library board, city council, and your county board of supervisors. (This is Maricopa County’s Library District)
Contact the AZ Library Association, which mirrors the Marxist American Library Association. Respectfully demand that they sever ties with the ALA (like Montana did).
Send concerns to AZWOA of concerning materials so we can alert others.
Run for your city Library Board! Just like school boards, AZ needs good library board members. The Phoenix Library Advisory Board informs and advises the City Council on matters of public interest and needs in relation to the resources/services of the library system. What a great way to help get the inappropriate books out of the public libraries! Also, apply to become your County Librarian.
Attend library board meetings
a. Take notes and/or prepare to speak
b. Read an inappropriate library book to the board*
c. The next Maricopa County Board of Supervisors meeting is on Oct 18th at 205 W Jefferson, Phoenix at 9:30am.
Dan Kleinman is a long-time library activist and has been a reliable resource for AZWOA. Please consider following Dan’s Substack and using his website’s vast information.
Check out The World Library Association, a non-Marxist up-and-coming ALA alternative.
Vote for legislators that will support your values!
*For reference, follow these links for examples of citizens impacting public boards by reading inappropriate books out loud. (Do not view around children.) Here, here, here and here.
God bless you and your interest in making a difference in your family, school, and community!
~ Adrienne Johnson
Senior Advisor, Arizona Women of Action