Proposed Ohio Bill Would Charge Teachers, Librarians With Felonies for ‘Pandering Obscenity’

Source: https://ohiocapitaljournal.com/
A recent Republican-led bill introduced in the Ohio House proposes charging teachers and librarians with a felony for distributing material deemed “obscene.” However, the bill lacks clarity on what constitutes obscenity, raising concerns about its potential impact on educators and public school librarians.
Key Highlight:
– State Rep. Adam Mathews, R-Lebanon, introduced House Bill 556, which aims to criminalize certain actions related to obscenity for teachers and librarians.
– The bill defines a librarian as someone employed by a school district, public school, or chartered nonpublic school, including those working in a school district public library.
– Teachers and school district librarians would be prohibited from creating, reproducing, publishing, promoting, or advertising obscene material, as well as from directing or producing obscene performances.
– However, the bill lacks clarity on what constitutes obscenity, causing hesitation among teachers and library groups.
– The Ohio Education Association and Ohio Federation of Teachers express concerns about the bill’s vagueness and potential for misuse.
– Questions arise regarding the inclusion of “school district public libraries” and the bill’s impact on educational materials.
– The bill includes an affirmative defense for accused individuals who can prove the material or performance served legitimate purposes, with the term “educational” removed from the language.
Image Source: https://ohiocapitaljournal.com/