A new law in California makes it harder to ban books in libraries, a gay-owned bar in North Carolina gets destroyed by Hurricane Helene, and a middle school in Pennsylvania installs a window in the gender-inclusive bathroom.
Law Makes It Harder To Ban Books In Public Libraries
Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a law making it harder to ban books in public libraries.
The law prohibits books from being banned on the basis of subject matter including race, nationality, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, disability, social economic status or political affiliation.
According to EdSource, it will also offer protection to library staff from facing disciplinary action if they are following the rule when making programming decisions or refuse to remove a book.
There were 52 challenges to 98 book titles in public libraries and school libraries in California last year, according to the American Library Association website.
Gay-owned Bar Destroyed By Hurricane Helene
Aerial view of the DayTrip after Hurricane Helene. Photo via Instagram.
Brandon Davis and his husband, Davie, opened an inclusive bar and coffee shop called DayTrip about four weeks ago. Last week, Hurricane Helene destroyed it.
“I had a dream come true, and it lasted 32 days,” Brandon told The New York Times.
A GoFundMe with a $180,000 fundraising goal was launched by Brandon and Davie’s friend.
“They spent countless months and so much blood, sweat and tears renovating the space and realizing their dream of creating a cozy and quirky place for friends and neighbors to come and feel welcome,” the fundraiser description reads. “And it was that place for a sweet brief time.”
Window Added to School’s Gender-inclusive Restroom
Photo via Pexels.
A middle school installed a surveillance window in its gender-inclusive restroom, raising ethical concerns from community members, according to NBC News.
A window wasn’t added in single-sex restrooms.
Matthew Gelazela, the school district’s board president, said the decision to add the window was made because it “engages in renovating multiuser restroom facilities.”
“It has an interest in opening a view into the non-private area of those facilities in similar fashion to what has existed for years in our elementary schools,” Gelazela said in a statement to NBC News. “In making the area outside of stalls more viewable, we are better able to monitor for a multitude of prohibited activities such as any possible vaping, drug use, bullying or absenteeism.”
Jennifer Holahan, whose son attends school in the district, said finding ways to supervise students is important, but the window is a step too far.
“I can understand needing to have supervision over middle and high school students, especially in the bathrooms. I was a teenager once; I know it’s a tough spot,” Holahan said. “But I also think windows aren’t a solution. I think if it was a real issue, it wouldn’t just be gender-inclusive restrooms.”
