“Snares” Hidden In Over 100 School Library Books In Wilson County (Op-Ed)

Image Credit: Govt of Prince Edward Island / CC

By Amanda Price [Wilson County Chapter Chair of Moms for Liberty] –

What is a Snare?

A snare is commonly known as a mechanical device, often with a bait, for catching birds or animals. In our case, the “mechanical devices” are mere words hidden within the pages of unassuming books. The “bait” is the graphic sexual description that induces sexual arousal, whether intentionally or capriciously. The “birds” or “animals” that are to be caught are our own children, mostly our daughters as erotic literature appeals more often to females. Snares were discovered hidden within over 100 of the school library books in Wilson County.

Highly Addictive “Bait”

Utilizing the same mesolimbic dopamine pathway as heroin and cocaine, the hidden bait that awaits may trigger a chain of neurochemical reactions within an adolescent mind. This age range is at particular risk as the sensation is new and the executive functioning skills needed to calm the reward system have not fully developed. The unprecedented number of teens who have already been exposed to pornography only compounds the struggle. When a student has already moved from impulsive to compulsive reward seeking, tolerance will warrant more extreme behavior that could expand the array of prurient interests over time to include rape, prostitution, incest, body mutilation, pedophilia, and bestiality. Most students choose not to reveal their compulsions or expanded prurient interests so we cannot reasonably expect librarians to know. 

The neurological reward system for this particular bait can be overwhelmingly strong as sex is necessary for the survival of our species. Even as adults, we know that critical thinking skills diminish considerably when in a state of arousal. Has the Wilson County Schools Book Review Committee taken any of this into consideration as they focus on the literary value of books and minimize or ignore the numerous pages of gratuitous graphic sexual descriptions? Based on the history of schools denying, minimizing, and ignoring the subject, it is doubtful that parents in Wilson County have been adequately informed of the extreme sexually explicit material in library books that are both on and off the Mature Reading List.

Who is setting the traps?

Organizations, publishers, and authors have been given control of our most basic system for obtaining information. They are now using libraries to exploit the basic primal sexual instincts of our children. Indoctrination and propaganda led many to forget that the premature sexualization of children has a lifelong catastrophic impact on mental health. As the American Library Association sells “Banned Book Week” to school librarians across America with catchy slogans like “Let Freedom Read,” they unequivocally reject the notion that with freedom comes the responsibility to protect minors from sexually explicit literature.

The next generation’s learned responsibility will be to make sure that there is no accountability for the sexualization of children.

Moms for Liberty – Wilson has gone to great lengths to warn citizens, school employees, and parents about these snares as well as others. Policies and procedures were written to address it. Forms were created. A committee was appointed. All this was done with great reluctance as fear took hold that there would be backlash and lawsuits for removing sexual snares.

Recent Developments in Wilson County

Advocates for sexually explicit material claim that a recent FOIA request suggests that only one parent with students in Wilson County schools took the time to follow the 4.403 selection process and submitted formal requests to review the age-appropriateness of library materials. This does not consider the fact that some parents are busy. Some parents are overwhelmed and don’t know how or where to begin. Some parents prefer to avoid all conflict. Nobody wants to engage in a battle where their kids are caught in the middle. That is one reason why Wilson County residents stepped in to help submit up to 100 formal requests for review. 

This is also why advocates for sexually explicit material have asked the Board to discriminate against and exclude Wilson County residents who wish to participate in the 4.403 process. This is why Zone 3 Representative, Melissa Lynn has added it to the agenda for October 11. This is in defiance of Article 1 Section 19 of the Tennessee Constitution which acknowledges the rights to freely communicate thoughts and opinions and participate in the investigation of official conduct surrounding the distribution of distribution of content harmful to minors. This is also in defiance of the Open Meeting Act (TCA 8-44-101) as excluding Wilson County residents would allow public business regarding content harmful to minors to be conducted in secret at the school level. Because the Board, according to WCS Policy 1.404, will not hear complaints or concerns that have not advanced through the proper administrative procedure from the point of origin beginning at the lowest level of responsibility, Wilson County residents will be excluded from speaking about library books at school board meetings when a parent does not proactively follow the procedure. 

Biblical Comparison

While Moms for Liberty is not a religious organization, if we read the first few chapters of Judges, we catch a glimpse of the repercussions of a community’s inactions for the next generation. Because people failed to take a stand, snares were left for the next generation to the extent that they quickly fell into the practice of child sacrifice, prostitution, body mutilation, sorcery, divination, and bestiality. What snares are we leaving for the next generation? 

Ours isn’t a battle against flesh and blood but against powers and principalities that have overtaken systems and organizations. Are we overlooking modern baals and ashtaroth when we turn a blind eye to the snares of sexually explicit library books, the curriculum inspired by Marxist theory, the social-emotional thought reform, the restorative justice that is dismantling accountability, the comprehensive sex education that perpetually pushes parental boundaries, the social promotion of under-performing students, and the acceptance of federal funding with extreme oppressive strings attached? Pair all of this with the quiet and gradual weakening of the family bond as our national heritage and religious tradition are mocked overtly and covertly over a lifetime of learning.

What is Our Role?

Moms for Liberty – Wilson has been called to educate, empower, and equip parents, not enable them. We can stand WITH parents, not FOR parents. Wilson County parents must decide what they hold as pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy. This will ultimately be whatever influences are allowed to access children when at home or school. Every parent is responsible for choosing if, how, and when they will take action for their children. The more parents who ask that their child be protected from a snare, the more likely the school is to remove that snare.

Judges 2:2–3 (ESV): “But you have not obeyed my voice. What is this you have done? So now I say, I will not drive them out before you, but they shall become thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be A SNARE to you.”

Hosea 4:6 (ESV): My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you have rejected knowledge, I reject you from being a priest to me. And since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.

Malachi 4:4–6 (ESV): “Remember the law of my servant Moses, the statutes and rules that I commanded him at Horeb for all Israel. “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes. And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction.” 

Call to Introspection:

1. Have you found something in your child’s school that you consider to be a snare at home?

2. Are you willing to take a stand for your child?

3. How can Moms for Liberty – Wilson stand with you?

Call to Action:

1. Email your representative about where you stand on the exclusion of Wilson County residents from policy 4.403.

2. Come to the school board meeting on October 11.

3. Request to speak at the next school board meeting.

4. Attend the next Moms for Liberty – Wilson, TN event on October 16.

5. Set aside time to sign a petition or to help campaign for those intending to run in the 2024 school board election.

Fault vs Responsibility in Schools

Watch this short clip of Chapter Chair Amanda Price’s speech explaining the difference.