Is Your Public Library Safe for Kids?
The lazy days of summer are almost here. Kids will get their required reading lists, and parents will be looking for more books their kids will enjoy reading on vacation.
Remember when a trip to the public library was a relief for moms who could relax while their kids excitedly roamed the shelves for fun books? Unfortunately, those days are gone. Parents must now be on guard. Just because it’s in the children’s section of the library does NOT mean it’s appropriate for your kids.
Over the last few years, we’ve shared numerous instances of picture books, juvenile and teen books with sexual content, self-harm and suicide. These books are readily available in the children’s and youth sections of your public libraries. So, how can you guard your kid’s mind and innocence? Your voice is already making a difference in Maricopa County Libraries.
We are grateful for the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors for taking this issue seriously and for meeting with Arizona Women of Action to discuss how we can move these inappropriate books out of the kids’ sections and into the adult section for the discretion of parents.
AZWOA is proud to work on this important issue, and we won’t stop with the county libraries. There’s still a lot of work to be done at the city, town and school libraries as well. It will take all of us to protect our kids’ minds and we are grateful for the amazing work that Scottsdale Unites for Educational Integrity has done to have certain vulgar and explicit books removed or restricted in the district’s libraries.
This is not just an Arizona problem, but inappropriate library books have made it all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. Last week, SCOTUS began hearing the case – Mahmoud v. Talor that addresses the intersection of religious freedom and inclusive education in public schools. The central issue is whether Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) in Maryland violated the First Amendment rights of parents by requiring their elementary-aged children to participate in lessons featuring LGBTQ+ themes without offering an opt-out provision. Initially, the district allowed parents to opt their children out of these lessons. However, in 2023, MCPS rescinded this policy, citing concerns over administrative challenges and the potential stigmatization of LGBTQ+ students. A group of parents from Muslim, Catholic, and Orthodox Christian backgrounds filed a lawsuit, arguing that the mandatory inclusion of these books infringed upon their religious beliefs and parental rights to guide their children's moral education. They contended that the absence of an opt-out option compelled their children to engage with content that contradicted their faith. SCOTUS is expected to rule on this important case in June.
Fixing our library systems to protect our kids from inappropriate and sexually explicit books won’t happen overnight, but the progress we can make is a step in the right direction. In the meantime, here are a few things that you can do to protect your family:
Examine your child’s school required reading assignment and use trusted rating services like Rated Books to ensure it is age appropriate.
Don’t let your kids just peruse the aisles at your public libraries, pay close attention to the books they pick out, skim them for inappropriate photos or topics, or sit and read the book with them!
Refer to the list of wholesome books in our “Top Actions” section of this week’s newsletter. Purchase those books for your kids to read, AND request that your public library orders them for their shelves.