Senator Reads Explicit Book Passages at Hearing on School Book Bans

A Senate Judiciary Committee hearing focused on the rise in book ban efforts targeting school libraries across the US.
Republican Senator John Kennedy read aloud sexually explicit excerpts from LGBTQ-themed books to defend banning them.
Kennedy and witness Alexi Giannoulias debated whether parents or librarians should decide which books are available.
Democrats argued book bans often target marginalized groups, while Republicans emphasized parental authority.
The hearing addressed debates over censorship, freedom of expression, LGBTQ representation, and the role of libraries.