11 months ago
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FRESNO COUNTY, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) - Nearly 1 twelvemonth ago, Fresno County passed the Parents Matter Act, giving parents much power implicit the books disposable to their children successful the library.
The enactment establishes a genitor committee to find which books should beryllium successful the children's conception astatine the library.
However, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed AB1825, known arsenic the Freedom to Read Act, this year, and the instrumentality volition overturn Fresno County’s policy.
“It's different effort from Sacramento to instrumentality distant section power of government,” Fresno County Supervisor Steve Brandau said.
Many of the books parents person complained astir successful Fresno County are LGBTQ-related.
“47% of the projected publication bans successful the federation targeted the LGBTQ and the Bipoc community. And so, basically, what they're trying to bash is erase the cognition and the past of our communities from nationalist libraries,” LGTBQ+ Advocate Chris Jarvis said.
Jarvis, on with advocates each implicit the state, supported AB1825.
It requires libraries to study their argumentation for restricting books to the state, and they cannot beryllium restricted simply due to the fact that they code sexuality oregon race.
“I deliberation the parents should person eventual control… I deliberation erstwhile it comes to these precise delicate matters, especially, we request to permission those decisions successful the hands of the parents,” Brandau said.
“Which parents? I mean, are you leaving it up to the parents that don't privation their kids to cognize astir queer people? Or are you leaving it up to the parents that bash privation their kids to cognize astir queer people,” Jarvis said.
Libraries indispensable finalize their reports by January 2026.
It volition overturn the Parents Matter Act unless Fresno County sues.
“So, present we person an eventual decision: Do we combat the authorities of California present successful Fresno County, oregon bash we spell and make a ineligible battle? But rather frankly, successful Fresno County, we're not into wasting money. We're not going to combat a combat that we can't win,” Brandau said.
