OLYMPIA—Today the House of Representatives passed House Bill 2331 by Rep. Monica Stonier (D-Vancouver) to prohibit school boards from banning books from classrooms and libraries through discriminatory practices and modify the review process for books coming into or being removed from a school’s library system. The bill passed with a vote of 58 to 39 and now moves to the Senate for consideration.
“When kids see themselves, their families, and their experiences represented in the books they read, they get excited about reading and learning,” said Rep. Stonier. “As an educator, I know how important it is to have access to age-appropriate books without political interference. Parents should have the freedom to guide their children’s reading choices without a school board or another parent making that choice for them”
The American Library Association recorded a 20% surge in book challenges between Jan 1 – Aug 31, 2023 over the same reporting period in the previous year, with 7 of the 531 cases recorded in Washington.
This bill instructs school boards and superintendents to review current policies or adopt new guidelines to make sure materials are reviewed in accordance with Washington State anti-discrimination laws.
“Banning books is a political weapon used by dictators,” Rep. Stonier said. “Making sure our kids have a diverse library to choose from that represents the diversity of the communities across our state is how we raise the next generation of informed, thoughtful citizens – not dictators.”