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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2023 - 2024
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | October 26, 2023 06:12 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative Stephenie Scialabba |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Repealing the Obscenity Exemption for Schools |
| In an effort to allow for appropriate sex-ed in schools, all but 7 states previously adopted obscenity exemption statutes for public schools. Many of these states are now revisiting the topic and whether it was wise to create an open door for harming the people we are supposed to protect. Obscenity has been defined by our courts as speech that is "utterly without redeeming value." As the world and society change, we are getting farther and father away from the intended purpose of this statute, and its necessity in the first place is questionable. The basic topics that should be covered in sex-ed have value and are not the target of outraged parents. Rather, parents are outraged over an alarming amount of material that qualifies as obscenity (e.g., utterly without redeeming value) in our schools. I will be introducing legislation in the near future that repeals the obscenity exemption and requires the same level of care from schools that we expect of the private sector and society at large. This legislation does not seek to re-write existing law other than to enforce it equally across our state. Please consider joining me as a co-sponsor of this reasonable and common-sense piece of legislation. |