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  • 1.  Parents Bill of Rights: Act and Spread the Word

    Posted Mar 22, 2023 07:38 AM
    Edited by Marsha P. Burgess Mar 22, 2023 07:39 AM
      |   view attached

    The following message is sent on behalf of Alan S. Inouye, Ph,D., Senior Director, Public Policy & Government Relations and Interim Associate Executive Director 

    Hello Councilors,

    ALA has launched a new federal action on censorship - we need everyone's support in this important moment. The U.S. House of Representatives is currently considering H.R. 5, the so-called "Parents Bill of Rights Act," legislation that would open the door to more book banning in school libraries and communities nationwide. We're calling on ALA members, staff, and advocates to urge their Representatives to vote no on this legislation. 

    This bill would require school libraries that receive federal funding to provide a list of available materials to parents upon request and develop a new system to allow parents to challenge materials. As we know, this is already the case in school libraries across the country – parents already can search a library's catalogue and communicate with staff about their concerns. And so this bill is an unnecessary and unfunded federal mandate. But if this bill became law, it would provide book banners another tool and leverage point to censor materials in libraries. We cannot allow supporters of censorship to pass and weaponize this legislation against libraries and library workers. 

    Please take action and share this message with your own networks - we need every voice to protect the freedom to read. You can use our action center to call your Representative and urge them to vote no on H.R. 5. Link to share on social below, along with sample copy for social media.

    Social share: Twitter
    Graphic: attached
    Sample social: The House of Representatives is voting on dangerous legislation this week that would give more tools to book banners. ALA and library advocates are taking action. Join us - call your Rep and urge them to vote NO on HR5: bit.ly/ProtectFreedom2Read

    Thanks, 

    Alan

    Alan S. Inouye, Ph.D.

    Senior Director, Public Policy & Government Relations and Interim Associate Executive Director

    American Library Association

    1615 New Hampshire Avenue, NW

    Washington, DC  20009

    Office 202-403-8218 ▪ Mobile 202-276-6738 ▪ ainouye@alawash.org

    Follow Me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AlanSInouye 



    ------------------------------
    Marsha P. Burgess
    Council Secretariat
    American Library Association
    mburgess@ala.org
    (312) 280-3204
    ------------------------------



  • 2.  RE: Parents Bill of Rights: Act and Spread the Word

    Posted Mar 23, 2023 08:39 AM
    Thanks for sharing this, Alan & Marsha.

    I appreciate that the contact form provided the phone number for my Rep's local office. We, the local office personnel and I, had a good chat about the importance of parent involvement in their own children's reading practices and the importance of a child's access to books on anything that catches the child's interest, without interference from people who might not know each child that would be affected by HR 5.

    If you haven't had an opportunity to speak to the staff in your Rep's local office, this is a great opportunity to reach out and connect.
     
    Thanks for all you do!

    -Aaron
    :-)'



    Original Message