A wave of book bans have hit school libraries in the last few years. (Getty Images)
In a bit of linguistic gymnastics, a number of states have now banned book bans in public libraries and public schools.
Nebraska should be next in banning book bans. We’ve already hitched the Big Red Wagon to other states in lawsuits from voter registration to student loan debt and to federal regulatory authority. Although not a lawsuit, why not join this book club?
Illinois, Minnesota, California, Maryland, Colorado, Vermont and New Jersey have all passed laws that, among other things, ensure challenged titles are available to public school students and public library patrons who want to read them. The laws also protect librarians and administrators from running afoul of a spate of new laws moving in the opposite direction.
Conversely, 15 states introduced legislation in 2024 that would punish, sometimes severely, those who oversee collections that include books targeted by banners.
Legal protections for banned books in Nebraska would give librarians and public schools the same peace of mind for simply doing their jobs as they advocate for literacy — all while preserving parents’ rights to opt their children out of assigned books they might find offensive. Nor does it prohibit parents from communicating with schools about books and curriculum, but it importantly recognizes and trusts the experience and expertise of librarians.