by Wayne & Karin Stanford, Stevensville
Unfortunately, a terrible bill attacking teachers and librarians narrowly passed the Montana House. HB 234 would institute an ambiguous definition of what books should be designated as obscene in our public schools and libraries.
Romeo and Juliet. The Canterbury Tales. Beowulf. These and many other titles in libraries or in age-appropriate curriculums could now be designated as obscene if HB 234 becomes law. Teachers and librarians could be held criminally liable.
Let’s be clear: teachers and librarians do not provide obscene material. And HB 234 does nothing but scare education professionals into questioning whether literature taught for years could now meet an arbitrary definition of what is obscene.
Thankfully, a bipartisan coalition of cool-headed representatives stood up and defended our teachers and librarians by voting against this bill. Thank you to Missoula and surrounding area Representatives Loge, Bedey, Sullivan, Carter, Karlen, Keogh, Hopkins, Marler, Binkley, Howell, Frazer, Thane, Zephyr, and France for standing against this misinformed, mean-spirited attack.
While HB 234 passed the House, hopefully state senators will recognize that it does nothing, changes nothing, and is a veiled attack on teachers and librarians. Urge your senator, and all legislators, to vote to protect teachers and librarians.
Helen Sabin says
Here is a suggestion: Hope that the senate will vote down this bill. CONTACT THEM AT 406-444-4800 AND LEAVE A MESSAGE FOR EACH SENATOR TO VOTE THE BILL DOWN.
However, know that there are too many books in the schools today that promote values and morals that parents do NOT want their children seeing, hearing, or being taught.
Montana also has too many teachers that think they should be able to teach whatever they want to teach such as genderism to young children or that the gay lifestyle is good. Many books in the school libraries, if not carefully vetted, do promote such thinking.
I suggest that YOU go to your school library and start reading. Watch especially for any books or curriculum from PANORAMA EDUCATION OR CASEL. https://theconservativetreehouse.com/blog/2021/10/05/ag-merrick-garlands-daughter-married-to-co-founder-of-company-selling-critical-race-theory-resource-material-to-school-districts/. AND.
https://www.openthebooks.com/forbes-panorama-education-co-founded-by-us-ag-merrick-garlands-son-in-law-contracted-with-23k-public-schools-and-raised-76m-from-investors/
Then look at books from other “educational” groups that bash the USA for the problems the characters in the book create for themselves. For example, in The Golden Moon, one mother criticized the USA for “changing” her daughter to be an “American” rather than a dutiful Chinese daughter who no longer got excited about celebrating Chinese New Year. The mother brought the daughter to the USA to get away from China and the corruption there. Then she blames the USA for its attitude toward freedom. She should blame herself but that of course, will not happen in this book that is a type of subtle propaganda teaching. The Confuscious Curriculum used in many colleges is another example of Chinese propaganda.
Call YOUR school and ask if you can come and start looking at each book and what it is teaching.
This is a much bigger problem than you know- and it is pervasive.
IS a bill a way to go? NO! But too many parents are too busy working, too lazy, have too many children to check each one, or for whatever reason, to learn what their children are learning. Are you of that persuasion? Do you ever read what kids bring home from school? Did you object to nonsense such as common core math that is turning American children into poor learners and making Montana schools rated as middle of the pack and lower when compared to other states?
Will you take the time to read the book your child is bringing home? Will you go tell YOUR school board to get rid of porno in the schools? Hmmmm? If so, go for it and I support your efforts. If not, then YOU are part of the problem.