APPROVED AS TO FORM AND LEGALITY
________________________
CITY ATTORNEY’S OFFICE
OAKLAND CITY COUNCIL
RESOLUTION NO. _______________ C.M.S.
INTRODUCED BY COUNCILMEMBER DAN KALB
ADOPT A RESOLUTION (1) IN OPPOSITION TO BOOK BANS; (2) IN
SUPPORT OF PROTECTING THE RIGHTS OF EVERY INDIVIDUAL TO
ACCESS A WIDE VARIETY OF BOOKS IN LIBRARIES, SCHOOLS AND ELSEWHERE; (3) IN SUPPORT OF PUBLIC AND SCHOOL LIBRARIANS DEFENDING LITERARY FREEDOM AND DIVERSITY; AND (4) OPPOSING
GOVERNMENT CENSORSHIP OF BOOKS
WHEREAS, reading is a foundational skill, critical to future learning and to exercising our democratic freedoms; and
WHEREAS, libraries and schools provide access to books that offer teachable moments for readers of all ages and expand our understanding of people with different backgrounds, ideas, and beliefs; and
WHEREAS, books are tools for understanding complex issues; and
WHEREAS, limiting young people’s access to books does not protect them from life’s complex and challenging societal issues; and
WHEREAS, young people deserve to see themselves reflected in a library’s collection; and
WHEREAS, librarians are professionals trained to not impose their own thoughts and opinions on which ideas are right, but to make knowledge and ideas available so that people have the freedom to choose what to read; and
WHEREAS, a large majority of Americans across the political spectrum oppose book bans; and
WHEREAS, President Barack Obama said, “At a time when book banning is back in vogue, libraries remind us that truth isn’t about who yells the loudest, but who has the right information”; and
2 WHEREAS, book bans harm communities; and
WHEREAS, groups such as PEN America, the American Library Association, the American Association of University Women, and others are calling attention to and pushing back against book banning by school boards and others around the country; now therefore be it
RESOLVED that the Oakland City Council hereby opposes government censorship of books, and endorses the following statement: Individuals should be trusted to make their own decisions about what they read and believe. Further, parents should not be making decisions for other parents’ children about what they read. We are united against book bans; and be it
FURTHER RESOLVED that the Oakland City Council fully respects and supports the work and determination of public and school librarians to promote diversity and defend literary freedom; and be it
FURTHER RESOLVED that we, the City of Oakland, will act to protect the rights everyone to access a wide variety of books in schools, in libraries, and elsewhere.
IN COUNCIL, OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA,
PASSED BY THE FOLLOWING VOTE:
AYES - FIFE, GALLO, JENKINS, KALB, KAPLAN, RAMACHANDRAN. REID AND
PRESIDENT FORTUNATO BAS
NOES –
ABSENT –
ABSTENTION –
ATTEST:
ASHA REED
City Clerk and Clerk of the Council of the
City of Oakland, California