A Republican congressman from Ohio has introduced a bill that, if passed, would ban teachers and librarians from showing obscene materials to children.
Last month, state Rep. Adam Matthews (R-Lebanon) HB556 This would create “criminal liability for certain teachers and librarians for promoting obscene material.” HB 556 would prevent educators from producing, publishing, or performing anything that features “obscene material.” Similarly, it would also prohibit them from promoting public events that include obscene material.
“Second-graders should not have to avoid obscene material in their school library, regardless of who the material is targeted at.”
If the bill becomes law, teachers and librarians who share or promote such materials could be charged with a fifth-degree felony, punishable by six to 12 months in prison and a $2,500 fine. W.L.W.T. The bill allows certain exceptions for biology and health teachers, and for materials that have a “bona fide medical, scientific, religious, governmental, judicial, or other appropriate purpose,” according to the report.
“House Bill 556 aims to ensure that the same standard obscenity rules that apply in everyday life, from Barnes & Noble to television, are also followed in K-12 educational settings,” Rep. Matthews said in a statement. “We want to protect the trust and relationships between parents, teachers and students throughout the life of our schools.”
But critics countered that the bill does not define indecent conduct and therefore could be misused to attack teachers. Melissa CropperJohn McClellan, president of the Ohio Federation of Teachers, argued that “the bill’s vagueness” will give “bad actors” an opportunity to attack public educators under the guise of “child protection.”
President of the Ohio Education Association Scott DiMauro He went a step further, saying he was “appalled” by the bill and suggesting it seeks to “silence and punish educators for their work.”
“HB 556 will have a chilling effect on our classrooms by leaving trained and experienced professionals uncertain whether the necessary and lawful educational materials they use with their students are safe under this dangerous law,” he continued.
Others noted that Ohio law already prohibits it. Promoting obscene material.
Matthews acknowledged that obscenity laws already exist, but added that his bill would ensure such laws are enforced in Ohio schools and school libraries. He also noted that teachers can easily teach students about sensitive topics without using obscene materials.
“Simply put, second graders should not have to shy away from obscene material in their school library, regardless of who the material belongs to,” he said. “Furthermore, newspapers and history books can provide information without going into obscenity, and I am confident that teachers can handle difficult topics like human trafficking in the same way.”
HB 556 has since been passed to the Ohio House Criminal Justice Committee, but the committee has not yet set a date for consideration.
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