U.S. Rep. Walter B. Jones: Parents need to know what books kids are reading
I had the opportunity to read the May 15 news article “‘King and King’ book no stranger to controversy” about how the parents at Efland-Cheeks Elementary School felt when they discovered the book “King and King” had been read to their third-graders without parental notification.
In 2005, when this book garnered national attention, I introduced a bill in the House that would require states to establish parent review councils to look over the books children are reading in elementary school classrooms as a condition for receiving federal funds. Parents of young children need to know and have a say about what books their children have access to at school.
It was disappointing that with a Republican majority my bill was not even given a hearing and died in committee.
It is my strong belief that parents of children attending elementary school need to know and have a say about what books their children are reading.
U.S. Rep. Walter B. Jones
Farmville
The writer, a Republican, represents N.C. District 3.
This story was originally published May 18, 2015 at 5:14 PM with the headline "U.S. Rep. Walter B. Jones: Parents need to know what books kids are reading."