Virginia may warn parents of sexually explicit school books

(AP) – The Virginia Senate will soon consider a bill that would require schools to notify parents if their children will read a book with sexually explicit content and provide an alternative if the parent objects.

The measure is being pushed by a Fairfax County mother who tried unsuccessfully to remove Toni Morrison’s “Beloved” from her children’s school several years ago.
    
Laura Murphy and other supporters say parents have the right to decide what literature their child is exposed to.
    
It’s not uncommon for schools to allow parents to opt out if they don’t want their child to read a specific book.
    
But James LaRue of the American Library Association said he believes Virginia would be the first state to pass a law like this one. LaRue called the measure “backdoor censorship.”