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The chair of the Nebraska Legislature's Education Committee is continuing his push to increase parental oversight in public education, specifically by focusing on what's available in school libraries. Murman Sen. Dave Murman of Glenvil introduced LB390, which would require school districts make their library catalogs available to parents, and notify parents whenever their student checks something out.
It is one of two bills this session that Murman introduced to increase information to parents from their school districts. The bill was heard at a public hearing before the Education Committee Monday afternoon. Though only one testifier turned up to oppose LB390, the bill generated more interest through online comments, with 54 people writing in to support it, and 70 people opposing it.
Increasing parental involvement in K-12 schools has been a top focus of Murman's since he became education chair in 2023. Last session, he introduced a bill he dubbed the "Parental Bill of Rights and Academic Transparency Act," which would have given parents access to review all learning materials their school uses, and give them the power to object and withdraw their students from lessons that conflict with their beliefs. People are also reading.
.. The Legislature did pass a bill last year offering parents more control in public K-12 education, but lawmakers favored a more moderate version of Murman's bill introduced by fellow committee member Sen.
Rita Sanders of Bellevue. Murman said LB390 was inspired by a different debate lawmakers had last year, over a bill that would have removed protections for K-12 educators if they faced charges of providing obscene materials to minors. That bill ultimately failed, and though Murman supported it, at Monday's hearing he cited opponents' argument that what qualifies as obscene material may differ from parent to parent.
"Different families have different values, so parents should have that oversight in their kids' lives," Murman said. "I agree with that sentiment. Parents and legal guardians should be the primary decision-makers in a child's life.
" In spite of the measures the Legislature recently passed, Murman said there is still too little opportunity for parental involvement in schools. He argued LB390 would improve transparency, as well as work on a practical level, helping parents keep track of the materials their child checks out and will eventually need to return to the school. Murman said he spoke with officials from several districts when drafting the bill, and they all told him the mandate was doable.
However, he noted that he has an amendment planned that would remove a requirement that the library catalogs be available online, because he wants to give districts the option to use whatever system works best for them. Murman also clarified that parents would be able to opt-in to receiving notifications about their child's library activity, rather than imposing it as a blanket requirement that all parents automatically receive the information. "All this bill asks is to put parents in the driver's seat, so they can have conversations with their children based upon their personal family values," Murman said.
Download the new Journal Star News Mobile App Meet Nebraska state senators making laws in 2025 District 49 Bob Andersen Omaha Elected 2024 402-471-2725 [email protected] District 14 John Arch La Vista Elected 2018, 2022 402-471-2730 jarch@leg.
ne.gov District 18 Christy Armendariz Omaha Elected 2022 402-471-2618 [email protected].
gov District 21 Beau Ballard Lincoln Appointed 2023, elected 2024 402-471-2673 [email protected] District 25 Carolyn Bosn Lincoln Appointed 2023, elected 2024 402-471-2731 cbosn@leg.
ne.gov District 29 Eliot Bostar Lincoln Elected 2020, 2024 402-471-2734 [email protected].
gov District 32 Tom Brandt Plymouth Elected 2018, 2022 402-471-2711 [email protected] District 9 John Cavanaugh Omaha Elected 2020, 2024 402-471-2723 jcavanaugh@leg.
ne.gov District 6 Machaela Cavanaugh Omaha Elected 2018, 2022 402-471-2714 [email protected].
gov District 2 Robert Clements Elmwood Appt. 2017, elected 2018, 2022 402-471-2613 [email protected].
gov District 37 Stanley Clouse Kearney Elected 2024 402-471-2726 [email protected] District 46 Danielle Conrad Lincoln Elected 2022 402-471-2720 dconrad@leg.
ne.gov District 10 Wendy DeBoer Bennington Elected 2018, 2022 402-471-2718 [email protected].
gov District 40 Barry DeKay Niobrara Elected 2022 402-471-2801 [email protected] District 30 Myron Dorn Adams Elected 2018, 2022 402-471-2620 mdorn@leg.
ne.gov District 19 Robert Dover Norfolk Appointed 2022, elected 2024 402-471-2929 [email protected].
gov District 26 George Dungan Lincoln Elected 2022 402-471-2610 [email protected] District 20 John Fredrickson Omaha Elected 2022 402-471-2622 jfredrickson@leg.
ne.gov District 7 Dunixi Guereca Omaha Elected 2024 402-471-2721 [email protected].
gov District 1 Bob Hallstrom Syracuse Elected 2024 402-471-2733 [email protected] District 16 Ben Hansen Blair Elected 2018, 2022 402-471-2728 bhansen@leg.
ne.gov District 48 Brian Hardin Gering Elected 2022 402-471-2802 [email protected].
gov District 36 Rick Holdcroft Bellevue Elected 2022 402-471-2642 [email protected] District 24 Jana Hughes Seward Elected 2022 402-471-2756 jhughes@leg.
ne.gov District 8 Megan Hunt Omaha Elected 2018, 2022 402-471-2722 [email protected].
gov District 44 Teresa Ibach Sumner Elected 2022 402-471-2805 [email protected] District 42 Mike Jacobson North Platte Appt.
2022, elected 2022 402-471-2729 [email protected] District 5 Margo Juarez Omaha Elected 2024 402-471-2710 mjuarez@leg.
ne.gov District 31 Kathleen Kauth Omaha Appt. 2022, elected 2022, 2024 402-471-2327 kkauth@leg.
ne.gov District 34 Loren Lippincott Central City Elected 2022 402-471-2630 [email protected].
gov District 33 Dan Lonowski Hastings Elected 2024 402-471-2712 [email protected] District 41 Dan McKeon Amherst Elected 2024 402-471-2885 dmckeon@leg.
ne.gov District 11 Terrell McKinney Omaha Elected 2020, 2024 402-471-2612 [email protected].
gov District 17 Glen Meyer Pender Elected 2024 402-471-2716 [email protected] District 22 Mike Moser Columbus Elected 2018, 2022 402-471-2715 mmoser@leg.
ne.gov District 38 Dave Murman Glenvil Elected 2018, 2022 402-471-2732 [email protected].
gov District 27 Jason Prokop Lincoln Elected 2024 402-471-2632 [email protected] District 35 Dan Quick Grand Island Elected 2024 402-471-2617 dquick@leg.
ne.gov District 28 Jane Raybould Lincoln Elected 2022 402-471-2633 [email protected].
gov District 12 Merv Riepe Ralston Elected 2022 402-471-2623 [email protected] District 3 Victor Rountree Bellevue Elected 2024 402-471-2627 vrountree@leg.
ne.gov District 45 Rita Sanders Bellevue Elected 2020, 2024 402-471-2615 [email protected].
gov District 39 Tony Sorrentino Elkhorn Elected 2024 402-471-2885 [email protected] District 13 Ashlei Spivey Omaha Elected 2024 402-471-2727 aspivey@leg.
ne.gov District 43 Tanya Storer Whitman Elected 2024 402-471-2628 [email protected].
gov District 23 Jared Storm David City Elected 2024 402-471-2719 [email protected] District 47 Paul Strommen Sidney Elected 2024 402-471-2616 pstrommen@leg.
ne.gov District 4 R. Brad von Gillern Elkhorn Elected 2022 402-471-2621 bvongillern@leg.
ne.gov District 15 Dave Wordekemper Fremont Elected 2024 402-471-2625 [email protected].
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