Rep. Wright: SB 1098 = bad book bill for kids

By Oregon State Representative Boomer Wright,

Mr. Speaker, To the Bill:

I appreciate the opportunity to rise here today to oppose SB 1098. This bill is not about learning to read but reading to indoctrinate. While I fully support the principle of ensuring equal access to educational materials to all students, my opposition stems from the critical need to maintain age-appropriate educational materials in our public schools and to respect the rights of parents in guiding their children’s exposure to sensitive content. Many parents have pulled their children and already exited our public schools for what they viewed and distrusted being taught during COVID. SB 1098 will increase that distrust. With bills such as SB 1098, exiting will increase and will fortify the CHOICE movement here in Oregon, which I support. CHOICE will provide parents with the ability to place their children in more appropriate learning environment.

SB 1098, as written, would prohibit schools from removing certain library materials, even if their content is developmentally inappropriate for children if on the basis that the library materials include a perspective, study, or story of, or are created by, any individual or group against whom discrimination is prohibited under Oregon ORS 659.850. ORS.659.850 defines discrimination as, any act that unreasonably differentiates treatment, intended or unintended, or any act that is fair in form but discriminatory in operation, either of which is based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, marital status, age or disability. Is it discrimination to ensure that five-year-olds are not exposed to explicit sexual content? Parents, in the past, have trusted schools to provide an education that aligns with age-appropriate learning, not to introduce complex concepts such as pornography and sexual content. Parents do not want broad bans on literature, they are simply demanding that materials in school libraries and classrooms be appropriate for their child’s maturity level, and parental beliefs.

Oregon’s public educational system should focus on academic excellence, literacy, and core subjects rather than advancing ideological agendas that many families do not support. SB 1098 would remove local control, silence parental concerns, and further erode trust between families and schools. The state legislature should prioritize parental rights and child-appropriate education over sweeping mandates that disregard parent and community standards. I encourage my colleagues to vote no.     -Rep. Boomer Wright

Remonstrance written with input taken from constituents’ testimony in opposition of SB 1098 in italics.