Oklahoma Bill Would Allow Parents To Force Books With Sexual Themes To Be Removed From Schools

A new legislative proposal in Oklahoma would give parents the right to force certain books to be removed from public school libraries and award them at least $10,000 if the schools do not comply. 

“Senate Bill 1142,” which is sponsored by Republican state Sen. Rob Standridge, would allow parents to make written objections to any books that “make as their primary subject the study of sex, sexual preferences, sexual activity, sexual perversion, sex-based classifications, sexual identity, or gender identity.”

The proposal states that  objections could also be made to “books that are of a sexual nature that a reasonable parent or legal guardian would want to know of or approve of prior to their child being exposed to it.”

According to the details of the legislation, if a parent or legal guardian objects to a book, the school must remove it within 30 days. If it is not removed, the librarian must be terminated and will not be permitted to work at any other public school for two years.

Parents would also be allowed to seek monetary damages at a minimum of $10,000 if the school does not remove the book.