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Parents discover that classroom libraries are suddenly off-limits
Around North Carolina, some teachers were told to cover or clear their classroom shelves as soon as students came back. Under guidance tied to House Bill 805, kids cannot borrow books until every title is entered into an online catalog.
For many families, that means a jarring first week of school, where the most inviting part of the room is suddenly off-limits.
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A new law expands the definition of what constitutes a school library book
House Bill 805 started as a measure framed around preventing sexual exploitation, but lawmakers added a section that reshapes how schools treat books.
The law now defines library books to include materials in both traditional school libraries and classroom collections. That change pulls thousands of teacher-curated paperbacks into the same regulatory world as official library shelves across the state.
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Teachers must list every title in online catalogs
Districts now have to maintain public, searchable catalogs listing every book in each school and classroom. Parents can go online, see what is on a teacher’s shelves, and mark titles they do not want their child to borrow…