A coalition of small private schools and libraries sued last summer, and that case is ongoing. Similar cases have been filed in Arkansas, Iowa, Florida, Texas and other states with laws restricting access to books in libraries or schools. Idaho now demands that public schools and public libraries either sequester these books β and others like them β away from young people or face the risk of challenge, litigation, and statutory damages for allowing these classic and valuable books to be accessed by minors.
Book banning efforts have soared recent years, according to the American Library Association. Public and school-based libraries have been flooded with complaints about allegedly inappropriate books, and the efforts often organized by conservative groups such as Moms for Liberty.
In some Republican-led states, lawmakers have responded by passing laws creating new punishments β including lawsuits, fines and even imprisonment β for libraries or individuals that distribute books deemed unsuitable. Some Democratic-led states including Washington and Illinois have responded by banning book bans.
In fact, that's exactly what happened, according to the lawsuit. The Donnelly Public Library operates the only after-school program in Donnelly, a town of about residents, but it had to bar minors from entering unless a parent or guardian first completed a waiver. Two students also joined in the lawsuit, including a year-old from Lewiston who noted that even though he is taking college-level courses through his school's dual-credit program, he is restricted from accessing books that he feels he needs to foster his learning.
An year-old student from Meridian said in the lawsuit that even though she is now old enough to check out the restricted books from her school library, it's unclear how she can gain that access. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
