Are books in LMUSD’s libraries age-appropriate?

People for Better Schools believes vulgar or graphic sexually explicit material does not belong in school libraries where minors can access it freely without parental knowledge or consent.

We are not opposed to books addressing sexuality, abuse, relationships, or other difficult subjects. Our concern is with books containing graphic descriptions or depictions of sexual activity freely available to minors.

Three books in Lucia Mar Unified School District libraries have been formally challenged because of their sexually explicit content, and the current board majority voted to retain them.

The law recognizes a distinction between adults and minors. Miller v. California established the constitutional test for obscenity, while Ginsberg v. New York recognized that minors have more limited rights regarding sexually explicit material. Not every sexually explicit book is legally obscene, but constitutional protection for adults does not require unrestricted access for children.

School libraries make choices about what they purchase and retain. The California Department of Education states that local districts are responsible for selecting literature according to policies approved by their governing boards, considering educational purpose, community values, and student ages. Educational appropriateness is a separate question from legal obscenity.

Parents have a legitimate interest in knowing what their children can access at school. If books containing graphic sexual material are retained, parents should be informed and given the opportunity to consent before their children access them.

We support intellectual freedom and challenging ideas. But intellectual freedom does not require unrestricted access to every published book by every student.

We are asking: Do books containing graphic sexual material belong in public school libraries serving minors?