My Views Are My Own
By Lisa Schonhoff, Ed.S.
3/18/2025
I have been asked several times throughout my campaign about my views on book banning. Of course, my response is that I am wholeheartedly against book banning. With that being said, I am equally for having age-appropriate literature available in our public schools. It’s important to remember that our schools are for everyone, and it isn’t our job as educators to push a political or social agenda. It’s our job to teach kids to read, write and acquire all the skills that will set them on course for lifelong learning.
High schools can get a bit more controversial. Again, public schools are for everyone, and children mature at different times. Our high schools educate kids as young as 14 to typically 18 or 19 years of age. Exposing young teens to content their brains aren’t ready to understand can have detrimental effects on their well-being. “According to some studies, early exposure (by age 14) to explicit material may increase the risk of a child becoming a victim of sexual violence or acting out sexually against another child.” While schools can’t control what students see on their personal devices, they can control what they have access to in their libraries and in their classrooms. I have found BookLooks to be a fairly reliable source that rates the age appropriateness of books.
Currently, Legislative Bill 390 brought by Senator Murman would require “each school board of a public school district to adopt a policy relating to access by a parent, guardian, or educational decision maker to certain school library information.” While many school districts already have online catalogs, some districts are concerned that this is an additional burden. Rule 10 states that “each middle and high school acquires a minimum of 150 titles each year in either print or in full text electronic format.” This makes it nearly impossible for librarians to know the content on their shelves. Senator Murman’s bill allows parents to access the school library catalog and gives them the right to opt in to being notified when their child checks out a book. This bill makes sense, as it promotes transparency while allowing parents to review library content and determine the appropriateness for their children.
In my opinion, let’s keep it easy. If it’s illegal to distribute to minors outside of our public schools, then it doesn’t belong inside of our public schools. See the following state statute for guidance if unsure: Nebraska Legislature
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