1. United States
2. Kan.
3. Letter

I am writing to urge you to vote NO on H.R. 7661. While the bill is framed as a measure to address explicit content in schools, its actual impact would be far broader and deeply harmful to both educators and students. As written, H.R. 7661 would severely restrict educators’ professional judgment by requiring pre-approved reading lists that limit our ability to choose texts based on students’ needs, reading levels, and interests. Effective teaching depends on flexibility—on meeting students where they are and helping them grow. This bill removes that flexibility and replaces it with a one-size-fits-all mandate that does not reflect the realities of diverse classrooms. Even more concerning, the bill’s vague definitions of “explicit content” open the door to sweeping bans on literature that explores identity, history, and complex human experiences. Widely taught and critically acclaimed works such as The Great Gatsby and Of Mice and Men would be excluded, along with many contemporary texts that engage students and reflect the diversity of their lives. By preventing the consideration of new books altogether, the bill freezes curricula in time and denies students access to relevant, meaningful literature. The impact of this legislation would fall disproportionately on voices that are already underrepresented in the curriculum. Stories that center marginalized identities or grapple with difficult but important topics would be among the first to disappear. That is not protection—it is erasure. Students deserve access to a rich, inclusive, and thoughtfully curated education. Educators are trained professionals who are best positioned to make decisions about what their students read. H.R. 7661 undermines that expertise and ultimately limits students’ opportunities to think critically, engage empathetically, and prepare for the complexities of the world beyond the classroom. For these reasons, I strongly urge you to oppose H.R. 7661.