Legislation proposed in New Jersey State Senate aims to ban book banning
GLEN RIDGE, N.J. -- Legislation proposed in the New Jersey State Senate last week aims to ban book banning and more.
In February, more than 100 people opposed to a possible ban on six books made their voices heard in Glen Ridge.
The debate was sparked after a group of eight residents called Citizens Defending Education submitted concerns about LGBTQIA+ content.
"There are always people who've objected to books," said Marc Aronson, an associate professor at Rutgers University.
Aronson says bans used to focus on a book of popular fiction and individuals would express concerns directly to a library. Now, Aronson says, "There's been this organized campaign ... to claim that whole categories of books ... are obscene."
"This about the right to read," New Jersey State Sen. Andrew Zwicker said.
Zwicker proposed new legislation last week -- Bill 3907, or the New Jersey Right To Read Act. The bill requires public libraries and public school libraries to adopt the Library School of Rights and prohibits banning or restricting access to certain books.
"If there is a library that chooses to censor a book, to ban a book, then the bill will authorize the state to ... potentially withhold part of their public funding," Zwicker said.
CBS2's Vanessa Murdock heard mixed reaction to the proposed legislation.
"I think that's a good idea, yeah. It's ridiculous that they even have to do that," one person said.
Mom Elyse Sanchez opposes banning books, but says, "I don't think we should cut any funding to any schools for any reason."
Teacher Antonia Christodoulakis reflects on efforts to ban "To Kill a Mockingbird."
"I think it's just something that's terrible to do because its very much part of what's going on in our world," she said.
But cutting funding gives her pause.
"At the end of the day, we are public schools," she said.
Zwicker says he expects pushback.
"It's the same thing that we're seeing at Board of Education meetings right now, which is a small group of well-organized people," he said.
It's similar to what sparked February's outcry, but he's optimistic the New Jersey Right to Read Act will become law by year's end.
Zwicker says a conversation with a local librarian sparked the idea for the legislation.