Illinois Filtering Bill Fails to Pass
By SLJ Staff -- School Library Journal, 6/4/2007 12:45:00 AM
Illinois librarians have something to be happy about. A bill in the state Senate that would have required filters on public library computers has stalled, making passage of the law unlikely.
But the fight isn’t over. Opponents of the bill say that the legislation, proposed several times in the past in different forms, could still be reintroduced next session in a new bill.When the legislation passed in the House by 63 to 51, many librarians took part in a “day of unity” on May 14 by turning off or limiting Internet access at their libraries.
Megan Heligas, the head of the Flossmoor Public Library, says the filter proposal is a constant concern. "Every year, the same issue comes up," she told the Chicago Tribune, adding that the legislation does more harm than good. "Instead of focusing on educating parents and children to use the Internet safely, it is focused on penalizing the library board for its own local decision." Supporters of the bill say filters block pornography from children, but others argue that the software also ends up filtering valuable educational material.
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