Obscenity Bill could change some books in Tennessee schools

HAMILTON COUNTY (WDEF) – The Hamilton County School Board may be less than 24 hours away from having to change one of its policies, after the state house passed House Bill 1944, otherwise known as the Obscenity Bill.

It says that each school district needs to provide a definition of obscenity, and ensure books in the school library meet those standards.

The bill is similar to ones in other states that have become what state representative Yusuf Hakeem calls a political football.

One school board member disagrees.

Rhonda Thurman says “It’s absolutely not political to me.  I still can’t believe that there are Democrats that think that this is okay.  I want to hear their arguments.  There was a group of pastors that showed up to the school board meeting that thought that this was okay.  I would like to hear their arguments or why they think it’s okay.  I’d like for some of them to put these books in their church libraries if they think this is okay.”

The Senate is set to hear a similar bill on Wednesday.

If it passes. we don’t know yet when the school district policy on obscenity would need to change.