Parents’ rights should engender parents’ responsibilities

With the new requirement that schools post online all reading materials, it's only fair that parents who asked for this be subject to a set of requirements if they want to challenge specific books or keep their child from reading certain titles.

First, a parent should go through the online list and familiarize themselves with what their school or classroom library stocks. Once they’ve done that and made a list of titles they don’t wish their child to access, the parent should read in its entirety each book so they’re familiar with the content of those titles. Don’t rely on a cliff notes synopsis or a carefully crafted summary put forth by parents’ rights groups like Moms for Liberty. It’s also helpful if parents know what actually constitutes pornography.

Once a parent has their list of forbidden materials compiled, they should sit down with their child, and explain to them in detail why each book is on that list. Actually tell them specifically why you don’t want them to read the books listed, so there’s no question in their mind. Then, do the same with your child’s school librarian and classroom teacher. Parents who wish to dispute a book’s inclusion into a collection, be it at a school or public library, should also use this same process.

With rights come responsibilities, and parents who want more control over what reading materials their children access have a responsibility to first read the materials in question. It’s only fair.

Lori Morris

Cedar Rapids