JACKSON, Wyo. — The Teton County Library Board of Directors announced that its members voted to adopt a resolution opposing U.S. House bill H.R. 7661, a bill that prohibits the promotion of literature and materials deemed “sexually oriented” to people under 18, among other things.
The “Stop the Sexualization of Children Act” has been opposed by the American Library Association and the Wyoming Library Association, the board noted. Wyoming’s Rep. Harriet Hageman is one of the bill’s sponsors.
“While H.R. 7661 is directed toward school libraries, its implications extend far beyond those institutions,” the board’s resolution states. “The bill threatens foundational principles that matter deeply to Teton County: local control over education, the professional judgment of educators and librarians, and the right of families to determine what is appropriate for their own children.”
Supporters of the bill argue that it would keep kids from accessing books and materials that their parents consider inappropriate. Opponents argue that the bill would be a barrier to intellectual freedom for students, would disproportionately target work by minority and LGBTQ+ authors, and would threaten funding to schools that keep “banned” books on the shelves.
“H.R. 7661 proposes denying long-standing federal education funding — promised under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 — from any school that provides materials or programs for minors containing vaguely defined ‘sexually oriented material,’” the board’s resolution states. “As detailed by the American Library Association, the bill’s sweeping and unclear definitions could force schools to remove legitimate educational content such as fine art, history lessons, dance, literature, court cases, and even state and national symbols.”
This is not the first time the library has waded into the censorship discussion. Last year, the board voted unanimously to adopt a Book Sanctuary Resolution and to sign a Declaration of Democracy. Earlier this year, the library presented a screening of documentary The Librarians, which follows librarians and supporters around the country fighting for First Amendment rights in the face of unprecedented rates of book banning.
Comments regarding this new resolution can be emailed to board@tclib.org.
