For a long time, Carolyn Harrison and a small group of activists have set tables made of folding chairs filled with what they refer to as “bad books” outside the libraries in Idaho Falls, Idaho. According to Harrison is co-founder of the organization Parents Against Bad Books sees it, the most effective way for people to prove that the library has indecent books is to expose the books.
“These two novels are available in the library, in case you doubt it!” Harrison says to an individual passing by.
“It’s extremely graphic and detail-oriented,” offers Halli Stone Another participant in the group.
They highlight images of what they describe as sexually explicit encounters, which take some library patrons off guard.
“Oooh these graphic images!” exclaims one woman. “They’re taking away the innocence of children. They’re just not interested.”
“No They don’t,” Harrison replies.
An additional mom Natasha Stringam, recalls how her son, who is 12 years old, recently discovered the book “about kissing between a boy and another boy and other things that aren’t appropriate for this stage of development to children.” she explains. “These ideas could influence kids in ways that shouldn’t be good for them.”
While conversations continue, Harrison offers a pen and asks for people for a signature in support of her plan to allow parents to weigh in on the selection of books, along with the library staff who’s job it is.
We are pursuing a novel method to classify and select books
It’s among the many efforts throughout within the U.S. to change how the decisions are made on what books libraries should put on their shelves and in what part of the library they belong to.
The method of categorizing books may be a bit erratic. The books usually receive a first classification from publishers and authors. Professional book reviewers generally provide their own age bracket recommendation and book distributors and booksellers are able to perform the same. But ultimately, the local librarians makes the final decision about the books they acquire and where to put them.
Harrison hopes to alter that process by giving parents a say in deciding the final outcome, as well as the librarians. However, she claims that libraries are not averse to the idea.
“They’ve been telling us that “Oh no, it’s not possible to get parents involved. Experts must be involved in choosing books for the kids”” Harrison says. “That doesn’t make sense. Parents are the main parents of children.”
Local libraries are pushing back
Local libraries have said that they already have parents involved as a lot of the library staff are parents too. They’re not exactly in the same boat as groups such as Parents Against Bad Books, which has already been able to challenge at least 16 titles which include Flamer, Lawn Boy, What Girls Are Made Of and It’s perfectly normal. Each of these challenges has been unsuccessful.
PABB also maintains the list of what they refer to as “52 bad Books.” The list contains George M. Johnson’s memoir, “All Boys Aren’t Blue,” which contains some explicit descriptions of sexual encounters. However, as is the case with many books it is true that one person’s trash can be the other’s treasure.
“I found it to be very informative,” says Idaho Falls Public Library Director Robert Wright. In his opinion, “All Boys Aren’t Blue” is crucial to the development of children particularly for those battling sexual identity issues.
“To me it was a narrative of a boy who was perhaps different, but the main thing that stuck with me was the extent to which his family was there for his feelings and supported him in all circumstances,” Wright says.
However, he says, that book is already available in the adult section of the library. The new library card system that is tiered permits parents to limit which books their children can borrow, for instance restricting them to the collection of children, Wright says.
Harrison believes this isn’t a solution to the issue because children can read anything they want to when they’re in the library. However, Wright says that if parents would like to have stricter control of what their children can see in the library, it’s their responsibility to ensure compliance.
A demand to label books according to an age-related classification, just like films
In the same vein, some across the nation are experimenting with another strategy.
A plan that has been proposed in Washington state would force libraries to utilize the universal book-rating system similar to the one employed by the film industry to label the films “G,” “PG,” “PG-13” and “R.”
“We’re not seeking anything in the way of unreasonableness,” says Lewis County Commissioner Sean Swope, who proposed the proposal. “This is a method that will allow parents with the ability to discern whether the book is an suitable for their child. It’s about that innocence is gone once you’re gone.”
Dozens of people came to speak for and against the concept at an earlier gathering of Lewis County Board of Commissioners. Kyle Pratt, a writer and grandparent from Chehalis, Wash., read aloud the text “Let’s Discuss It: A Teen’s Guide to Sexual, relationships, and being a Human,” a graphic novel with explicit images and descriptions of sexual activities, and is stored in the teens section of Timberland Regional Library. Timberland Regional Library.
“‘There can be nothing wrong with enjoying a little porn. It’s a great sweet treat and a great way to relax,'” Pratt quoted from the book. He added, “That’s just one book and it’s not the most difficult. There are some sections that I won’t be in a position to read.”
According to the plan proposed by Swope the librarians are required to grade books based on criteria the author would define.
“G”-rated books that are “lighthearted and not controversial” can be read by anyone those with “explicit” as well as sexual oriented content will be “restricted” to only adults.
Opponents argue that government-mandated ratings would be in violation of the Constitution.
The opposition says that the categories are too subjective. They also argue that ratings are currently available across the country on a variety of websites, ranging from the more conservative BookLooks (which was created by an affiliate of Moms for Liberty though the website is not associated with the organization) as well as the moderate method used by Common Sense Media which is a non-profit advocacy organization that evaluates not only books, but also films and TV games, shows and more.
However, these are private organizations. For movie ratings, it’s actually the industry of film that’s rating itself. Some critics argue that having the government label books is a step into uncomfortable, if not constitutionally unconstitutional territory.
“It is not appropriate of the federal government to regulate ethics,” Lewis County resident Lori Lawson told the Board of Commissioners during its recent meeting.
A mother to nine children, she knows how important it is to protect children however, being a 25-year veteran of the military she recognizes the importance of protecting our First Amendment. “I did not give up my 25 years of life for someone else to control of what individuals can do!”
A myriad of ways to speed up the book selection process.
There are many other ways individuals are redefining the process of deciding the kind of books that should be placed in libraries. In Florida for instance state law, which critics refer to as”the “Don’t say Gay Law” stipulates that when the book is questioned and the decision is up for challenged to an independent magistrate, who is appointed by the commissioner of education for state. That means that a state appointed political official is now able to overrule a decision taken by the municipal school district.
Before a book can be officially challenged, the same Florida law allows for those who want to have that book removed from a library in schools. In the eyes of law, if somebody reads aloud from the book during an assembly of the school board and is prevented by the chair due to their believe the book is too explicit, the book is automatically taken off the shelves of schools.
Also, if it’s not appropriate for a public gathering and it’s inappropriate for a library in a school.
Screenshots taken by (NPR/School District Indian River County)
Many are already taking advantage of that law to circumvent the formal process of challenge, which includes several in the state of Florida’s Indian River County.
In the recent school board’s session, pastor John Amanchukwu stood up to read a explicit section of sexual acts in The book 13 Reasons Why. He only managed to get just a few words written before being abruptly cut off.
“Sir I’ll stop you here,” interjected the school chair of the board, then Peggy Jones, banging her gavel. “I’ll keep the reading. It will be taken away.”
Thousands of books were taken from Florida schools libraries this way.
There’s a different technique that people all over the across the country are employing to circumvent the long-standing library policies regarding book selection.
According to what Carolyn Harrison and Halli Stone from the Parents Against Bad books in Idaho Falls have figured out that they are able to look up the books they don’t like at least 12 books at one time.
“We did not remember to return them,” Harrison says. “Somehow we were always forgetting.”
“So they are not in the stores right now,” Stone deadpans.
In case the situation wasn’t evident, Harrison offers, “We’re taking this as an opportunity to be positive.”
The enormous pressure on books has prompted some libraries across the country to self-censor just before a controversy begins.
In Florida the law currently prohibits classroom instruction for children in grades K-8 regarding sexual orientation or gender identity and in a few cases, prohibits it from high schools. The official advice to certain institutions is “err to the side of cautiousness.” Therefore, libraries have removed at a minimum the dozens of books that deal with LGBTQand characters or themes.
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