Amendment S.3241

This bill amends Massachusetts laws to establish clearer rules for selecting and challenging books in school libraries. It requires school library teachers to choose materials based on professional training and educational value rather than personal views, while ensuring challenged books remain available until a school committee votes to remove them after a public hearing. The legislation also mandates that schools create written policies aligned with American Library Association standards, report on library challenges annually, and protect employees from punishment when making good-faith material selections. Additionally, the bill updates other state statutes to replace gendered terms like "chairman" and "selectmen" with gender-neutral alternatives such as "chair" and "select board."