A new California law will start on January 1, 2025, aimed at stopping schools from banning books, particularly those considered pornographic. This law is designed not to protect children from such materials but rather to ensure they remain available by preventing parents and school boards from removing them.
Assembly Bill 1825, sponsored by Assemblyman Al Muratsuchi, was promoted as a way to fight against book bans, with the claim that these bans unfairly target LGBTQ and racially diverse literature. The new law requires public libraries that receive state funding to develop and maintain a policy for selecting and handling library materials, which must include a way for community members to express concerns about specific books.
Parents grew increasingly concerned after the California State Board of Education updated health and sex education guidelines in 2019. These changes included controversial topics for young students. Amid this tension, many parents campaigned for school board positions to address what they viewed as inappropriate educational content. The state has one of the lowest literacy rates in the nation, yet it continues to push for a curriculum heavy in sexual education.
Throughout the U. S. , there has been a rise in protests from parents against sexually explicit content in school libraries, citing a lack of parental notification or the inability to remove their children from such content. The American Library Association reported over 10,000 book removals from public schools in the 2023-2024 school year, with a significant rise in book challenges.
Concerned parents noted that sexually explicit titles, such as “Gender Queer” and “Lawn Boy,” have frequently faced scrutiny. The number of titles challenged rose sharply, highlighting heightened parental involvement in school content decisions.
The ALA also established initiatives like “The Banned Book Club,” which provides access to previously removed titles. Meanwhile, California schools are enacting a curriculum emphasizing sexual diversity from a young age, exposing students to ideas of gender identity as early as kindergarten. Practices include introducing children to various gender concepts and providing explicit information about sexual health and reproduction for older grades.
Parents have warned that if the sexualized curriculum continues without opt-out options, they might withdraw their children from school, prompting concerns about funding based on student attendance. The California Legislature has passed laws that many believe cater to progressive interests rather than listening to parental concerns.
Critics argue that the state’s education policies are becoming increasingly inappropriate and disconnected from the values of many families, contending that the legislature does not adequately consider the views of parents. This law against banning library books continues to stoke debate and dissatisfaction among those concerned about the sexualization of education in California.
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