House Bill 119 passed in the House and Senate mostly along party lines. (Two Republicans in the House voted yes.) 

HB119 states that library material should not be “excluded, removed, or prohibited from a catalogue because of the origin, background, or views of those who created the material.”

It furher states that “material should not be excluded, removed, or prohibited from a library because of partisan, ideological, or religious disapproval.” 

HB119 includes similar requirements for school libraries and requires that public schools create procedures for reviewing objections to library material. 

It further requires that all library material that is under review due to an objection “must remain available for use by library patrons until the review process is concluded.” 

An appeal of a decision determining whether school library material may remain in the school library may be made to the board of the local education agency. 

So if a parent objects to material in a school library, they may seek its removal. If they don’t like the decision of the local school board, they may appeal to the School Library Review Committee.

HB 119 creates the School Library Review Committee, which is made up of the following individuals or the individual’s designee: 

• The President of the School Chiefs’ Association

• The State Librarian

• The Secretary of the Department of Education

• The President of the Delaware State Education Association

• The President of the Association of School Administrators

• The President of the Delaware Association of School Librarians

• The President of the Delaware Library Association

There are organized efforts to place material in school libraries that could very well be found to be objectionable by parents.

One such effort is from GLSEN (formerly the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network).

GLSEN works to promote “cultural inclusion and awareness in K-12 schools.” It boasts to be in schools in the majority of states.

The American Library Association announced on July 25 that Sam Helmick, (they, them) is the 2024–2025 president-elect.

I had to look up what it means to be a they/them. According to Wikipedia: 

They/them pronouns are gender-neutral pronouns used to refer to someone without specifying their gender. When a person uses they/them pronouns, it means you should refer to them using those pronouns instead of gendered ones like he or she.

Helmick seems the perfect choice to promote the K-12 activities of GLSEN.

Parents who complain about books they find objectionable will be reminded that HB 119 specifies that “material should not be excluded, removed, or prohibited from a library because of partisan, ideological, or religious disapproval.”

And “material that is under review due to an objection must remain available for use by library patrons until the review process is concluded.” 

My hope is local school boards are not allowing what parents may find objectionable into the K-12 libraries to begin with.

Regrettably, school board members may find they are standing in the way of organized efforts to force them to accept materials they themselves may find to be in poor taste or worse.

Once such material is in local school libraries, there is not much anyone can do to remove it, because of the passage of HB 119.

Being inclusionary does not mean you have to abandon all community standards.

Your comments are welcome. Send them to bryant.richardson@delaware.gov.