Why this Bill is Needed Now:

• Times have changed. We need to protect public school libraries, students, staff, parents, communities and Colorado.

• Colorado STUDENTS  in public schools have had their rights to access information violated when books were abruptly pulled off shelves and out of classrooms without clear decision-making criteria.

• Staff, board & community members in Colorado have been retaliated against for demanding the rights of ALL parents and ALL students are respected.

• Colorado public school STUDENTS have been prevented from learning when resources were removed or denied to them based on the whims and narrow biases of a handful of people, politicians and activists.

• Some Colorado schools, districts and communities failed to realize they needed a library policy until it was too late!

• Colorado PARENTS have had their rights as parents DENIED by school boards and staff who DENIED their children access to information in their school and classroom libraries.

• Political activists are being trained by extremist groups to sow chaos in public schools and districts, using book censorship and fear to undermine public schools and intimidate people.

• Political activists in Colorado are exploiting weak or missing school library policies.

• "Serial book banners" outside Colorado directed extremist groups in our state to use their lists of "objectionable books" to barrage and overwhelm our schools and districts.

• Political operatives and extremists keep catching Colorado Districts, Schools, Board & Communities off-guard because policies don't exist.