WAYNESBORO—Gov.TerryMcAuliffe on Monday vetoed a bill that would have required Virginia schools to notify parents of sexually explicit material in assigned books their children were reading, and offer parents the option of choosing alternative instructional material.
The legislation was sponsored by Del. Steve Landes, R-Weyers Cave, the chairman of the House Education Committee. In announcing his veto, McAuliffe said the legislation lacks flexibility, and would require a label of “sexually explicit’’ based on one scene, without further context. The governor said educators, librarians, students and others involved in education
expressed their concerns about the consequences of the legislation.
The governor said local school boards are most able to make curriculum decisions.
“School boards are best positione to ensure that our students are expose to the appropriate library and artistic
People are also reading…
works that will expand students’ horizons and enrich their learning experiences,’’ McAuliffe said.
The governor also noted that the state Board of Education
is examining the same issue, and has talked at length with school boards, teachers, parents about existing policies. Landes he is aware that the board of education is
considering a policy, and said he would reintroduce his legislation if there was no board action.
The bill was introduced by Landes during the recent
General Assembly session after the issue was brought to his attention by House Speaker Bill Howell. Landes met with parents from outside his district.
He said parents brought passages of books to him
“that were very explicit in nature.” The delegate said a decision by parents would be similar to other choices
they might make regarding their child’s popular entertainment or computer use.
“If a parent does not want children to see this in popular entertainment or on the Internet, they shouldn’t read about it in a work they are going to be studying in school,’’ he said. Landes said the children affected by such a
policy are middle and high school students.
Landes said the state Board of Education has been working on a policy for two years. He said he hopes McAuliffe will encourage a policy.
“It is not an unreasonable task,’’ Landes said of what the
state Board of Education could do