RALEIGH, NC —The North Carolina House of Representatives today approved House Bill 636, a measure designed to establish clear statewide standards for identifying and removing sexually explicit and pervasively vulgar materials from public school libraries.

Supporters of the bill say it addresses growing concerns from parents and community members over the presence of pornographic and age-inappropriate books in school collections. The legislation aims to shield students from what they describe as the harmful effects of early exposure to sexual content.

“Exposing children to sexual images and concepts—especially perverse ones—is a grave moral wrong,” said Tami Fitzgerald, Executive Director of the NC Values Coalition. “We are grateful to the NC House members that sponsored and supported this urgently needed bill. We must protect children from exposure to books that rob them of their innocence and cause emotional harm instead of helping them grow and thrive.”

Among the books cited by critics are Gender Queer, Lawn Boy, and Push, which are currently available in at least 54 schools in Wake County alone. According to advocacy groups, such titles contain explicit sexual scenes that many believe are unsuitable for a school environment. A recent poll indicated that a strong majority of North Carolina parents favor the removal of sexually graphic content from public schools.

The bill was sponsored by Representatives Neal Jackson, Brian Biggs, David Willis, and Jennifer Balkcom. It was developed in collaboration with organizations like the Pavement Education Project, which claims to have identified over 38,000 explicit titles across 104 school districts in the state.

“These aren’t children’s classics—we’re talking about erotic fiction and ‘how-to’ guides for sexual acts,” said Janet Peterson, a spokesperson for the group. “It’s heartbreaking and outrageous.”

Key Provisions of House Bill 636 Include:

• Requiring school districts to adopt policies for selecting and removing books based on statewide standards.
  
• Prohibiting materials that depict sexual activity or pervasive vulgarity.
  
• Mandating the review of donated books and book fair selections for explicit content.
  
• Giving parents the right to challenge books and pursue action if they believe the law has been violated.
  

The bill now heads to the North Carolina Senate for consideration, where advocates are pushing for swift approval. If passed, HB 636 would mark a significant shift in how North Carolina public schools manage reading materials and respond to parental concerns.

The debate over school library content has gained traction nationwide in recent years, as communities grapple with balancing academic freedom and parental rights.