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I reiterate what Sharon said. If you attended the online rally a few weeks ago, I mentioned we should be prepared to be called criminals. That is now happening. We need to act in solidarity and condemn this behavior and the legislation that encourages it. Email your legislator. Talk to your friends and family. Things I feel that need to said but are not being said: It is patently false that there is pornography in K-12 libraries. Librarians and teachers care deeply about their communities and make many sacrifices to serve. Teachers should not be used yet again as a political football. The majority of books being objected to are included in school libraries and curricula because they are good books. The consensus of educators, editors, librarians, and parents feel these books are appropriate for schools. That is why they were purchased in the first place. Thanks, Bryan Jones TLA Intellectual Freedom Committee Co-chair On 2/24/22 11:36, Sharon Edwards wrote: > All, > Thank you so much for taking part in the email call to action last > week. We heard from members of the House Criminal Justice Committee > that they did indeed receive our emails, but they have received a TON > for the other side. They said the best strategy NOW is: INDIVIDUAL AND > PERSONAL EMAILS AND CONNECTIONS. To that end, our ask of you this time > is more than clicking a link to send emails. This will take more time, > but it will have a HUGE impact. If you saw the subcommittee meeting > yesterday in which School Librarians were placed in the same category > as pedophiles > <https://twitter.com/TheTNHoller/status/1496856403725668352?s=20&t=gSntgWKhnwOsKpg7PlPhiw>and > accused with creating an entire generation of Ted Bundy-esque people, > then you're as fired up as I am about this issue and won't mind the > extra time it takes to voice your opinion. > > *_What do I need you to do? _* > > Take a look at THIS SPREADSHEET > <https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1x-COC8tByGcLttl5rJ3nr7InK840Hi6b3BX6atdFqGs/edit?usp=sharing>. > > These are the members of the House Criminal Justice Committee who will > hear HB 1944. > <https://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/Apps/BillInfo/default.aspx?BillNumber=HB1944> > You can grab their emails and phone numbers to contact them. I have > highlighted the "Cities in the District" column. IF YOU LIVE AND/OR > WORK IN ONE OF THESE CITIES OR COUNTIES, PLEASE USE YOUR INFLUENCE!!!! > Talk to your library board, county commissioners, city > council/aldermen, school board. You KNOW you have connections in your > local municipality because you're WORKING in your local municipality. > SOMEONE coming to your library or connected to you has ties to these > reps. FIND THAT LIBRARY POSITIVE CONNECTION AND USE THEIR INFLUENCE! > This is literally what they mean when they say "all politics is > local." So, get that Chamber of Commerce employee who's the first > cousin of the best friend's wife who brings her daughter to summer > reading to speak to the rep. (or something like that) > In 2020, we had a grandmother who was a devoted library user call her > grandson, who was a State Senator and demand to know why he was > messing with the libraries. In 1920, a mother's telegram from > Knoxville to her son in the Legislature swayed the deciding vote on > the ratification of the 19th Amendment. > FIND THOSE CONNECTIONS AND USE THEM, y'all! I know I'm using all CAPS > a lot here, but I am trying to express the urgency of the situation. > We are up against a minority of people, but they are so organized and > vocal, they are making headway. The consequences of their actions will > devastate all libraries, not just school libraries, if they win these > battles. > > NEXT WEEK,on Wednesday, March 2, if you can make it to the Cordell > Hull building in Nashville at 9:00am for the Criminal > Justice Subcommittee meeting to hear HB 1944, WE NEED YOU there! We > want to fill the place with pro-library people. > > PLEASE don't shrug this off and think someone else will take action on > your behalf. I am not exaggerating when I say it's going to take all > of us working together to defeat this legislation. Please. tell them > to vote No on HB1944. Tell them to trust the processes already in > place at the local level. Tell them that HB1944 is a government > overreach of local authority. Tell them that School libraries are not > providing obscene materials to children! Tell them that school > districts will be faced with first amendment violation litigation. > Just tell them, and get others to tell them. > > Please take action. > > In solidarity, > Sharon Kay Edwards > > > > > All my best, > *Sharon Kay Edwards, MSLS* > > President, Tennessee Library Association > Policy Corps Member, Cohort II; American Library Association > >