A Texas dad said to Fox News that the Lone Star State is taking a positive step towards protecting children from sexually explicit material without parental consent.
Juan Saldivar told Fox News that the state of Texas is trying to moderate content in order to keep children safe. “Make sure it’s appropriate for their age, their maturity level, and the educational requirements that they are trying to meet.”
TEXAS DAD SUPPORTS REGULATION OF BOOKS IN SCHOOLS SO AS TO ‘PROTECT KIDS: JUAN SALDIVAR
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The Republican governor of Texas is about to sign a bill. Greg Abbott would have to sign the bill for it to become law. It would establish new standards for sexually explicit books in both public and charter schools across Texas. The bill defines sexually explicit materials as any content, including illustrations, audio or descriptions of sexual conduct that is not part of the school curriculum.
Saldivar explained that certain products are not intended for children. This is because they are either too young to understand or haven’t developed enough to consent.
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Maia Kobabe’s book “Gender Queer” became one of the top banned books in 2022. The book is at the heart of the debate about what books should not be allowed in schools.
The Lone Star State father told Fox News that he would be angry if his daughter, 12, was exposed to sexually explicit content without his consent.
Saldivar gave an example: “I would not take my child to an R-rated film.” The choice is really up to the parents.
A Texas father supports the state government setting up new standards and ratings for book content in schools libraries. (Fox News Digital).
The bill’s vague standard could lead to unfair bans of books, according to critics. Saldivar and other supporters have said that the law will eliminate inappropriate content for children while giving parents the freedom to decide what they want to allow their kids to access on their own schedule.
Saldivar, speaking of the LGBTQ community, said: “I do not think that they are being targeted in any way.” Saldivar said that you can still access those things but in a more appropriate place.
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If the bill passes, school book sellers in the state would be able to assign a rating based on the sexual content of the books, but only if they are aligned with a school’s curriculum. They could also give a “sexually explicit rating” for textbooks that were deemed offensive, and not related to the required curriculum.
Book bans could be reversed by state officials if they review the ratings.
Saldivar: “I believe that defining the sexually-explicit nature of these materials, is important.” It’s crucial to protect children.
For example, the book “Gender Queer,” was ranked No. According to the American Library Association, the book “Gender Queer” was ranked No. 1 for the second consecutive year on the list of most challenged books. The father of a Maine boy who checked out a controversial book called “Gender Queer”, which contained a scene about oral sex, told Fox News that he does not support book banning but believes graphic sexual content in schools should be removed. The dad’s son, aged 11, was also given books with sexual content.
The father from Maine told Fox News that there was no reason to do this, particularly as a tax payer in the community. “I pay for these books to sit on the shelves and it blows my mind.”
The governor has yet to sign a Texas bill that regulates books in school libraries. The Lone Star State has one of the highest rates of book bans in the country. (Brandon Bell/Getty Images)
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The Texas Senate passed the bill on Tuesday with a vote of 19-12. The bill is now awaiting the signature of the governor.
Saldivar stated, “I fully support the Texas Legislature and I hope Governor Abbott signs this bill.”
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