22-04-2025
NC lawmakers debate over bill that would require committee to oversee books in school libraries
RALEIGH, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — A battle over books is raging in Raleigh as legislation that sponsors say will protect children from harmful material advanced through the General assembly last week.
Opponents argue the bill is a book ban.
House Bill 636 passed out of the North Carolina House on Wednesday. If it were to become law, school superintendents would be required to establish an advisory committee made up of five parents and five school employees. That committee could recommend to either remove or keep books in school library to the local school board.
Ashley Vaughan with NC Values Coalition told Queen City News inappropriate books is something her group has been concerned with for several years, that there have been dozens of instances of material making it into school libraries.
'The purpose is to solve a problem and the problem is disgusting and filthy pictures and descriptions of sex being shown to children in schools,' said Vaughan.
But state democrats, including Mecklenburg County State Rep Laura Budd, said there is already a system in place for vetting and selecting what is available in schools, that making changes would lead the state down a dangerous path.
'The biggest problem if it becomes law is it begins to control the narrative of what should be taught, by whom it should be taught and ultimately at that point what we've done is gut that intellectual freedom, academic freedom,' said Budd.
NC Values Coalition is expecting Governor Josh Stein to veto the bill if it passes the Senate but hopes to secure enough votes for an override.
That would require at least one Democrat in the House to vote with Republicans.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
