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Pennsylvania House of Representatives
https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/Legis/CSM/showMemoPublic.cfm?chamber=H&SPick=20150&cosponId=17568
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House of Representatives
Session of 2015 - 2016 Regular Session

MEMORANDUM

Posted: February 25, 2015 03:11 PM
From: Representative Stephen Barrar
To: All House members
Subject: Parental Rights to Access Minor's Library Records
 
I am planning to introduce legislation which will amend the Education Code (Title 24) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in Public Library Code, to provide for an exception to the privacy of circulation records.

Under current law, parents and legal guardians are restricted from seeing books and resources their minor children are selecting. My proposal would make an exception for parents and legal guardians of a minor child who are inquiring about their child’s public school library records.

According to Barry Tomasetti, Superintendent at the Kennett Consolidated School District, “Public schools serve student populations that are diverse in ethnicity, socio-economic standing, and core values; and appropriately, our libraries have resources that are as diverse as those we serve.” Furthermore, “In this vein, I believe parents have the responsibility and privilege to be involved in all phases of their child’s associations and practices within our schools, including the right to inquire and receive information on their child’s library selections. There is much evidence demonstrating that when parents are engaged in their children’s learning there is a greater probability for school success. Additionally, we should not be keeping secrets from parents.”

It is my hope that we can take steps towards empowering parent’s rights to be invested in our children’s lives, in all aspects, to better our future generations.

Please join me in supporting this legislation. Thank you.



Introduced as HB1180