Letter: School board member’s request for libraries’ circulation list is overreach
To the editor,
I understand that a Paso Robles Joint Unified School District Board Member requested a circulation list of the books checked out from all the libraries in the district. I am asking what the point of this request is. What business is it of the board what books are checked out? What are they planning to do with this list? It seems obvious that they are looking for titles they wish to ban. Banning books is the sign of an autocratic society and is the opposite of freedom.
Furthermore, any books they choose to ban can be readily found on the internet or in a bookstore, so they will remain available. The free exchange of ideas is one of the main principles of democracy. Just because one person doesn’t agree with the ideas doesn’t give them the right to ban the access of someone with a different opinion. How would they feel if the Bible or the Federalist Papers or the text of the
Constitution were banned? This is how people with different opinions than you feel when you ban their books.
What’s more is that the board should be concentrating on more important issues at the district such as learning loss, declining enrollment, bullying, and making sure all students feel safe at school. Banning titles about certain groups of people you don’t want to be discussed shows them that they are not valued and should disappear. This is not a message that should be delivered to any child. If you don’t want your children checking out certain books, then monitor what they check out for yourself. Don’t ban other people from checking out a book simply because you do not like it.
I hope that appropriate action will be taken and no books will be banned based on one side’s political agenda. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Mason Nutter
Editor’s note: Opinion pieces and letters to the editor are the personal opinions of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Paso Robles Daily News or its staff. We welcome letters from local residents regarding relevant local topics. To submit one, click here.
