Oregon’s Senate Bill Shields School Library Books on Gender, LGBTQ+ Issues, and Race from Censorship Challenges

A Senate bill that will make it illegal to remove or to refuse to carry books in school libraries based on subjects protected from discrimination has one more hurdle to negotiate before becoming an effective Oregon law.

Although Senate Bill 1098 has attracted public criticism, the House Education Committee has sent the bill to the House for a vote. If the proposed legislation, which stipulates that books containing subjects such as gender, LGBTQ+ issues, and race, is passed, it will head to Governor Tina Kotek for final approval.

There is a Growing Number of Challenges About the Content of Books in School and Public Libraries

Senate Bill 1098 coincides with a growing number of challenges regarding the content of books at schools and public libraries, according to a 2024 report by the Oregon Intellectual Freedom Clearinghouse affiliated with the Oregon State Library.

According to the report, 150 books and documents were challenged by individuals from July 2023 to July 2024. The majority of the reading matter was graphic novels and young adult books. The individuals expressing concern wanted the material removed or age-classified.

The Three Most Contentious Books All Have LGBTQ+ Themes

The three novels that received the most attention all had LGBTQ+ themes. The titles concerned were ‘Beyond Magenta’ by Susan Kuklin, ‘Flamer’ by Mike Curato, and the ‘Heartstopper’ series by Alice Oseman.

The Senate Bill stipulates that only student caregivers or district employees can request to have books and other materials removed from classrooms or school libraries. Their requests will have to be in writing and will be reviewed by a district committee before they are forwarded to the Oregon Department of Education and the state Board of Education.