GOP leaders shy from librarian attacks in book scrutiny push

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — GOP legislative leaders on Thursday maintained that parents need more transparency on what students are being exposed to inside Tennessee's public schools, but a handful conceded the arguments recently used to condemn teachers and libraries had crossed a line.

Just a day before, lawmakers and parents hurled insults against librarians in their push to advance legislation inside Tennessee's GOP-dominant General Assembly that would ban “obscene” materials from school libraries. Notably, the bill would eliminate exempting schools from penalties if they posses obscene materials, potentially opening them up to costly lawsuits.

Many who testified before the legislative panel repeated unfounded claims that librarians who defended certain controversial literary works were helping “groom” children to become desensitized to sexual abuse and pornography. Librarians and other education advocates deny such claims, countering that policies are already in place to let parents review library materials.

“To try to shore up your argument by just having a generic statement? Shame on them,” said Rep. Jeremy Faison, chairman of the Republican House Caucus. “If you have to prove your argument by attacking a group of people then your arguments are invalid.”

Senate Speaker Randy McNally also told reporters he was not comfortable with the comparisons.

“If the bill contains those comments or (it was) structured around those comments, I think it would have a very difficult time,” McNally said talking about the bill's chances to survive the Senate.

The Republican leader pointed out that the Senate had already advanced legislation backed by Gov. Bill Lee, which would require school libraries to post their contents online and regularly review their policies to make sure the...