Senate legislation will add burdensome mandates, restrict student learning

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HARRISBURG, PA (Oct. 24, 2023) – The Pennsylvania Senate approved two bills today that unnecessarily impede student learning and create a burdensome mandate on educators and school librarians, PSEA President Aaron Chapin said.

Senate Bill 7 would require schools to identify and list instructional materials and library books that meet the definition of “sexually explicit content” and restrict student access to these materials unless a parent completes and returns an opt-in form providing their permission.

Senate Bill 340 is the same bill that was vetoed by Gov. Tom Wolf in 2021. It would require every school entity in Pennsylvania, beginning in the 2024-25 school year, to post on its website a link or title for every textbook used in each school course along with a syllabus or written summary and the relevant state academic standards for each course.

“These bills are completely unnecessary mandates on educators and school librarians who are overworked and underpaid,” Chapin said. “Parents already have full access to school districts’ curriculum under current law, and they already have every right to make decisions about the books and materials their children can access and read in class or through the school library.

“These mandates are a distraction from what educators and school librarians should be focused on — instructing students and developing their critical thinking and research skills.

“We need to stop accusing hardworking educators of indoctrinating kids. If you want yet another example why Pennsylvania continues to see educator shortages, here is Exhibit A. We don’t need overreaching state legislation for issues that are worked out at the local level on a daily basis.”

Chapin noted that the definition of “sexually explicit content” contained in Senate Bill 7 is both vague and expansive, relying on subjective terminology that could have a chilling effect on teaching and learning.

“Educators are concerned about the impact this legislation could have on instruction in fine arts, literature, and health education, including relevant elementary school topics such as puberty and ‘good touch, bad touch’ as well as the risks of sexting for middle and high school students,” Chapin said.

Efforts to ban books in public schools have been on the rise in recent years, Chapin noted, with many of these efforts driven not by the concerns of local citizens but rather by advocacy organizations aiming to disrupt the educational process and censor certain books and ideas.

“Our educators and school librarians are hardworking professionals, and we need to let them do their jobs,” Chapin said. “Instead of advancing legislation that would restrict reading and learning opportunities for all students, lawmakers should instead focus on how to recruit and retain more certified school librarians and reading specialists to assist students and families in their reading journey.”

Chapin is a Stroudsburg Area middle school teacher and president of PSEA. An affiliate of the National Education Association, PSEA represents about 177,000 active and retired educators and school employees, student teachers, higher education staff, and health care workers in Pennsylvania.