Alabama just got a step closer to jailing librarians who provide LGBTQ+ books

[Jessica_Rose]

Alabama just got a step closer to jailing librarians who provide LGBTQ+ books

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/alabama-just-got-a-step-closer-to-jailing-librarians-who-provide-lgbtq-books/ar-AA1nJAV6?ocid=windirect&cvid=763934452a144e7badcd4a9780885850&ei=81

Story by Daniel Villarreal (26 April 2024)

Alabama's legislature is advancing two censorious anti-LGBTQ bills: H.B. 130 would ban LGBTQ+ flags in classrooms and expand the state's "Don't say gay" law to include grades 6-8; H.B. 385 would jail librarians for giving "sexual or gender-oriented material" to minors without parental consent. Both bills were approved in the Alabama House of Representatives this week and now head to the state's Republican-led upper legislative chamber.

Alabama's current "Don't Say Gay" law says that K-5 classrooms "shall not engage in classroom discussion or provide classroom instruction regarding sexual orientation or gender identity in a manner that is not age appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students in accordance with state standards." H.B. 130 would also remove the section "in a manner that is not age appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students in accordance with state standards," banning LGBTQ+ discussions completely.

The H.B. 130 expansion, which passed the state House on Tuesday, would expand the law to include grades 6-8 and also prohibit "flags symbolizing sexual orientations or gender identities" in all grade school levels.

The ACLU of Alabama has spoken against the law, saying that it would silence "inclusive" and "essential" discussions among students and teachers in classrooms while violating their First Amendment rights to free speech.

[Lori Dee]

If I were a librarian in Alabama, I would post a sign at the library entrance stating that children under a certain age must be accompanied by a parent or guardian as required by state law. Let the parents fight the legislature for you.

[Jessica_K]

Another round of book burning is in order? Why stop at jailing librarians use the books to burn them at the stake. Two birds...

Jessica