Nov 15, 2021
By The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Patricia Murphy Greg Bluestein Tia Mitchell
A debate over whether to allow certain books with “obscene” material is coming to Georgia.
State Rep. Jan Jones, the No. 2 Republican in the Georgia House, wrote on Twitter over the weekend that she’s working with two fellow GOP legislators on a proposal next year to “ensure obscene materials have no place in public schools.”
Jones was quickly echoed by Superintendent Richard Woods, who tweeted that he’s “looking forward to working with the House to protect our students and empower our parents.”
A little backstory here: Several GOP governors and state officials around the country have promised to ban books dealing with topics of race and gender. Among the targets: Toni Morrison’s “Beloved,” a novel about the horrors of slavery that includes graphic descriptions of sex, and Maia Kobabe’s “Gender Queer,” a memoir and graphic novel that contains explicit illustrations of sexual acts.
A little backstory here: Several GOP governors and state officials around the country have promised to ban books dealing with topics of race and gender. Among the targets: Toni Morrison’s “Beloved,” a novel about the horrors of slavery that includes graphic descriptions of sex, and Maia Kobabe’s “Gender Queer,” a memoir and graphic novel that contains explicit illustrations of sexual acts.
Books like these have sparked backlash from the governors of South Carolina and Texas. It was also a recurring theme in the Virginia governor’s race. Parents in conservative areas complain that these materials available for checking out contained inappropriate content, but many educators have argued that these books have literary value, are vetted and help students learn about different identities.
It’s not immediately clear if Jones and Woods have Kobabe or Morrison’s book in mind or what their definition of “obscene” would be.
But a state Senate measure proposed earlier this year could provide them a template. It would give school boards and principals more discretion than librarians over which books to offer students. That measure, Senate Bill 226, never gained traction.
State Rep. Josh McLaurin, D-Sandy Springs, predicted that“obscene” books would soon become the same buzz words in GOP circles as “critical race theory.”
“Why is it needed?” McLaurin posted on social media. “Purpose remains the same: to allow some parents to harass teachers / librarians over cultural change … and the kids still have the internet.”
