BEACON HILL — A shocking loophole in Massachusetts law lets schools and children’s libraries hand minors material that would be illegal to give them anywhere else — and a growing movement says it’s time to slam that door shut.

House Bill H.2042 — backed by the citizens’ group ProtectKids25 — is designed to strip schools and libraries of their special exemption from the state’s obscenity laws. Right now, Chapter 272, Section 28 gives these taxpayer-funded institutions a free pass — meaning explicit books, graphic illustrations, and adult-themed content can legally be stocked for kids under the banner of “education.”

The bill, officially titled “An Act Relative to Child Protection,” was filed on January 16, 2025, and presented “by request” through Representative David T. Vieira of Falmouth. It was referred to the Joint Committee on the Judiciary on February 27, with a public hearing held on June 10.

Supporters claim nearly 100 citizen co-sponsors have already jumped aboard — along with Representative John R. Gaskey (R-Plymouth 2nd District), described in press materials as a Carver resident, U.S. Coast Guard veteran, and Beacon Hill legislator who’s long pushed for stronger child protection policies.

“If these materials are deemed obscene and harmful outside of school walls, they don’t magically become appropriate inside them,” said Deedee Dorrington, ProtectKids25’s co-founder. The group calls the measure a “common-sense fix” to ensure the same rules apply in the classroom as in every other corner of the Commonwealth.

Citizen testimony at the June hearing drove the point home, with parents reading aloud excerpts from books they say no child should be exposed to. The sometimes-graphic passages, punctuated by gasps, illustrated what supporters call the absurdity of the current law. A video of that dramatic hearing is available on YouTube.

Critics warn the proposal could lead to censorship of legitimate literature and educational resources — a charge supporters dismiss as political cover for keeping sexually explicit content in front of kids. “The only people who should be upset about this bill,” one parent told lawmakers, “are the ones who think porn belongs in a school library.”

The Judiciary Committee is expected to issue its recommendation this fall. Until then, the fight over what Massachusetts children can be shown in the name of “education” is set to rage on.