1. United States
2. Maine
3. Letter

I am writing to urge you to oppose H.R. 7661, the so-called Stop the Sexualization of Children Act. This bill would amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to prohibit federal funds from supporting programs or materials deemed sexually oriented for anyone under 18. While framed as child protection, this legislation would give politicians unprecedented authority to restrict which stories belong on library shelves, undermining parental rights and threatening the freedom to read. The American Library Association, a nonpartisan organization with 150 years of experience supporting libraries, has strongly denounced this bill. They emphasize a fundamental principle I share: parents, not politicians, should guide children's reading choices. Library materials are currently selected by trained literacy professionals who understand child development and community needs. These experts work to help young people become lifelong readers by providing age-appropriate access to diverse perspectives and experiences. H.R. 7661 would override this professional judgment and local decision-making with broad federal restrictions. The vague language around what constitutes sexually oriented content creates dangerous ambiguity that could be weaponized to remove books featuring LGBTQ characters, comprehensive health education, or stories about marginalized communities. This is not about protecting children but about censorship. Instead of restricting access, I urge you to support the Right to Read Act, which would strengthen school libraries through adequate staffing and resources, improve evidence-based literacy instruction, and protect educators and librarians who help students discover books. This approach actually serves children by ensuring they have well-resourced libraries and trained professionals to guide their learning. Book bans of any kind harm our communities by limiting intellectual freedom and denying families the right to make their own decisions about what their children read. I ask you to oppose H.R. 7661 and stand with parents, librarians, and the freedom to read.