The subjects of book bans and potential pornography in libraries came to the area in August 2023, when a Cherokee County woman objected to a book at the Murphy Public Library about a transgender child named Jazz. More than 30 people attended a standing-room-only meeting of the Nantahala Regional Library Board of Trustees to discuss the book, although the vast majority of people in the audience were in favor of keeping the book and board members declined to take action.
To her credit, the local woman didn’t ask for the book to be banned altogether, just removed from the children’s section, which seemed like a reasonable compromise. Unfortunately, a proposed bill being bandied about in the N.C. General Assembly doesn’t seem nearly as reasonable.
Following lower chamber lawmakers tossing labels of pornography and book bans about in discussion, the N.C. Senate is next to get a crack at legislation involving content available to minors in schools, according to The Center Square. Passage in the N.C. House of Representatives (63-46) included two legislators crossing the aisle, one Democrat and Republican each. Lawmakers left for Easter break last week and resume their sessions next week.
House Bill 636, otherwise known as “Promoting Wholesome Content for Students,” drew criticism from mostly Democrats, who used words like “censorship” and “book banning” to describe it. Eliminating books that include “vulgar” items and “pornography” were advocated by most Republicans.
As The Center Square reported, all ages and grade levels would be kept from “descriptions or visual depictions of sexual activity,” if the proposal becomes law. All the state’s 115 school districts would be required to have a panel of five parents or guardians and five educators that review school library material for violations. Book fairs would also be subject to the law.
That seems like we’re asking untrained volunteers to do the work of qualified librarians, but there’s nothing wrong with getting input from the public. The proposed bill says all school policies should yield age-appropriate offerings with literary value and would also comply with the Children’s Internet Protection Act.
Then there’s a dark catch: The bill specifically allows litigation against the districts or schools by parents, guardians or residents if they “feel” there is a violation. That continues a recent trend of legislators asking the public to essentially become “narcs” for people who support one side of the government to work against the other, which is incredibly self-defeating for America.
For example, Republican lawmakers in Georgia are working on a bill today that would allow people to sue government if they have been “aggrieved” by a rule that conflicts with gun rights. U.S. Senate Democrats have released the Privacy Modernization Act of 2025 to make it easier for Americans to sue government officials for the misuse of sensitive personal information. Another bill in North Carolina would allow the public to sue over supposed violations of the Parents’ Bill of Rights law. States can even sue the federal government for decisions or alleged failures related to immigration enforcement.
Where does this end?
Including that kind of language in bills will only result in Americans becoming even more suspicious and wary of their neighbors. Instead of looking for common ground to stand on, we will become even more staunch in our positions, to the point of suing anyone who believes otherwise. Surely, there’s a better way to make America great.
Details: Visit ncleg.gov/BillLookUp/2025/h636.
– Publisher David Brown