Four Republican Senators Send Obscene Books Bill To Summer Study

Image Credit: capitol.tn.gov

The Tennessee Conservative [By Paula Gomes] –

After passing the Senate Education Committee last week, a bill that aims to prohibit educational institutions from making materials that are considered “obscene” or “harmful to minors” available to students was stymied in the Senate Judiciary Committee when a vote to send the bill to summer study passed 6 to 3.

Four out of the seven Republican Senators on the Committee voted to send the bill to summer study despite the sponsor’s plea to “deal with it today.”

SB1944 sets up a process for parents that identify questionable materials in their child’s school libraries to inform their school superintendents, who will then be required to remove the materials for thirty days.  At the next scheduled meeting, the local school board would be required to review the flagged materials and make a decision as to whether it is age appropriate or pornographic, obscene in nature.  If found to be in violation, the elected officials of the local school board would make the final decision as to whether the materials should be removed or returned to the school. 

Sponsor Senator Joey Hensley (R-Hohenwald-District 28) said that the bill makes what is considered unlawful outside of K-12 schools unlawful inside of schools also, removing an educational exception.

*** Click Here to Support Conservative Journalism in Tennessee. We can’t cover stories like this without your support!***

Jennifer Hamblen, former school board member, spoke in support of the bill and held up a copy of Me and Earl and the Dying Girl, a novel by Jesse Andrews, recommended for grades 9 and up by School Library Journal for its crude language.

A review of the book at Common Sense Media has parents recommending its suitability for 16-years and up. The mother of an elementary student brought the book to Hamblen’s attention after her 4th grader brought the book home from school.

The book is on the approved reading list in Tennessee and available in 93 out of 95 counties. Hamblen held up examples from other books found in school libraries with explicit pictures and said that books teaching children about masturbation and oral sex in cartoon format should not be in elementary schools.

Senator London Lamar (D-Memphis-District 33) addressed Hamblen’s concerns saying, “ Far worse things are on the internet and social media that our kids have access to everyday.”

Senator Kerry Roberts (R-Springfield-District 25) pointed out that according to Tennessee code, literature that shows children depicting sex acts is considered criminal. Roberts questioned why someone who would go to jail over having such material in their possession would be excused if it was checked out of a school library. 

Two high school students from Collierville High School, representing Tennessee Youth Coalition, spoke against the bill saying such books were “needed educational resources” and that the books were also necessary as they “removed stigmas to topics society continues to turn its head to.”

Legislative liaison, Eric Mayo from Governor Lee’s office said that the Age Appropriate Materials Act signed into law recently has already dealt with the problem of obscene books in schools.

Lamar asked if the bill could be sent to summer study. She made a motion to that end and after a second was made in support of that motion, the committee voted.

 Senator Mike Bell (R-Riceville-District 9), Senator Todd Gardenhire (R-Chattanooga-District 10), Senator Jon Lundberg (R-Bristol-District 4) and Senator John Stevens (R-Huntingdon-District 24) joined the two Democratic senators on the committee in voting aye.

About the Author: Paula Gomes is a Tennessee resident and reporter for The Tennessee Conservative. You can reach Paula at paula@tennesseeconservativenews.com.