Oppose H.R. 7661 and Support Professional Library Standards

I am writing to urge you to oppose H.R. 7661, the Stop the Sexualization of Children Act. This bill would modify the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to prohibit federal funds for programs or materials deemed sexually oriented for minors, but it fundamentally misunderstands how libraries serve our communities. Library materials are selected by trained literacy professionals who understand child development and community needs. These professionals work to help young people become lifelong readers by providing age-appropriate materials that reflect diverse experiences and perspectives. H.R. 7661 would replace this professional expertise with political interference, giving politicians broad authority to restrict whose stories are allowed on library shelves. This is not about protecting children. It is about undermining the freedom to read and stripping families of their right to make their own decisions about what their children read. Parents, not politicians, should guide children's reading choices. When we allow government to dictate which books are acceptable, we set a dangerous precedent that threatens intellectual freedom for all Americans. The American Library Association, which has advocated for equitable access to information for 150 years, strongly opposes this legislation. Instead of restricting access, we should be supporting well-staffed and well-resourced school libraries through legislation like the Right to Read Act, which would strengthen evidence-based literacy instruction and protect educators and librarians who help young people discover books. I ask that you oppose H.R. 7661 and instead support policies that trust parents, respect professional librarians, and protect the freedom to read. Our children deserve access to diverse materials that help them understand themselves and the world around them, not a narrowed selection determined by political agendas.