Senate bill seeks to create list of banned books in Arizona schools

PHOENIX — State lawmakers in Arizona are considering a bill that would create a list of books not allowed in public schools.

SB1700 would direct the Arizona Department of Education to maintain a list of banned books, including those that are “lewd or sexual, promote gender fluidity or gender pronouns or groom children into normalizing pedophilia.”

The Republican-backed bill passed the Senate on Monday with a 16-12 party-line vote and was sent to the House.

“This bill literally gives parents the ability to have a say in what their children read,” Sen. Justine Wadsack, R-Tucson, said on the Senate floor on Monday.

Under her bill, parents would be able to request books be removed from schools if they deem them inappropriate.

ADE would review the parents’ requests and determine what’s added to the prohibited books list.

The Senate passed SB 1700 over the objections of Democrats, who expressed concerned about what books would be deemed inappropriate.

“Obviously, there is a line and, of course, there is indeed content that’s too graphic for the classroom,” said Sen. Christine Marsh, D-Phoenix.

“However, there’s no room in the classroom for banning books simply because it upsets one group of people at the expense of so many others.”

She added there’s already a law that allows parents to request book titles and other materials being used in classrooms and in libraries at school.

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