New Library Access Restrictions Impact Students in Texas, North Carolina, California

Several school districts across the U.S. are facing significant changes and controversies regarding student access to library resources and educational materials. In California's Grossmont Union High School District, the board eliminated teacher librarian positions, replacing them with uncredentialed staff to save money, sparking backlash from parents, educators, and union representatives who emphasize the critical role librarians play in teaching digital literacy and combating misinformation. Meanwhile, in Cleveland County, North Carolina, a new law requires limiting student access to only age-appropriate materials, resulting in students losing the ability to use their school IDs for public library access and necessitating parental presence for library card issuance, provoking community outrage. Texas has passed Senate Bill 13, which mandates school districts to establish parent-majority advisory councils to review all new library materials publicly, imposes immediate removal of challenged books pending review, and grants school boards ultimate approval authority, raising concerns among educators about censorship and politicization of library content. These developments reflect a broader national trend of increased parental control and legislative restrictions on school library access and materials, often justified by concerns over age-appropriateness and content suitability but criticized for undermining educational resources and professional expertise.