North Carolina GOP bill would allow school librarians to be charged over books 'harmful to minors'

T. Keung Hui, The Charlotte Observer on Mar 31, 2025

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

Wide-ranging legislation filed Monday by North Carolina Republican lawmakers would make it easier to prosecute librarians on obscenity charges, restrict what books can be in school libraries and change how sex education is taught.

Under House Bill 595, public school libraries would be prohibited from having library books that “contains material that is harmful to minors,” as defined by state law. The legislation also removes language that had exempted employees of schools and public libraries who are carrying out their duties from being charged with disseminating harmful materials to minors, which is a Class 1 misdemeanor if found guilty.

Similar legislation that was proposed in 2023 was pulled before a legislative committee could discuss the bill. Groups such as the N.C. Values Coalition have been seeking legislation to subject public schools to the state’s obscenity laws.

The bill’s primary sponsors are Rep. John Torbett, a Gaston County Republican, and Rep. Hugh Blackwell, a Burke County Republican.

Changes in sex ed, library access, book fairs

Other items in the bill include:

—Prohibiting instruction on gender identity, sexual activity, or sexuality in kindergarten through sixth grade. This comes after the Parents’ Bill of Rights law passed in 2023 banned it in grades K-4.

—Requiring students in grades 7 through 12 to get prior written parental permission before receiving instruction on gender identity, sexual activity or sexuality.

—Requiring schools to get parental permission for students to take sex education. Currently, students take it unless their parents opt them out.

—Requiring school boards and charter schools to approve use of any school library book that receives at least 10 written objections.

—Any school board member could request that the board have a public vote on any library book before it’s selected.

—The names of books being considered for school libraries have to be listed on the school website to allow time for public comment.

—School library books would be designated as appropriate for elementary school, middle school or high school grades. Students wouldn’t be allowed to check out a book that’s beyond their school level.

—Prior to any school book fair, the principal must have someone review the materials to see that they’re appropriate.

—Public libraries shall place library books containing material harmful to minors in an age-restricted portion of the library that is accessible only to those 18 years of age and older.

------------