Last updated on February 28th, 2024 at 05:30 am
West Virginia Republicans are advocating to remove exemptions that currently protect schools, libraries, and museums from obscenity laws. The move comes as parents nationwide express concern over sexual content in school books. House Bill 4654, proposing the change, was approved by the House and is now under Senate consideration. Current state law designates exposing children to obscenities as a felony carrying maximum penalties of five years in prison and/or a $25,000 fine, but institutions like schools and libraries are exempt.
The ACLU has opposed the bill, arguing that it would create confusion for educators. However, the push for the bill comes after numerous complaints from parents about explicit sexual material in school resources. One book frequently cited as inappropriate is “This Book is Gay”. It contains detailed descriptions of explicit sex acts and is seen by some parents as promoting casual sex and risky behavior to minors.