Virginia Lt. Gov. candidate Ghazala Hashmi sparked controversy after admitting that she doesn’t "really care" if children have access to sexually explicit material in schools. The comment was made during a 2023 Public Education Subcommittee discussion on Senate Bill SB1463, a piece of legislation requiring public and school libraries in Virginia to place parental advisory labels on books containing sexually explicit content accessible to minors.
During the meeting, Republican state Senator Amanda Chase proposed a separate bill to label books with sexual content, allowing parents to more easily identify age-appropriate material for their children. This proposal, which was supported by many parents concerned about what their children are exposed to, was opposed by representatives from the Virginia School Librarians Association and the Virginia Library Association. These groups argued that librarians should have the discretion to select books and that parents should be responsible for monitoring their children’s reading material.
Hashmi, a state senator and a vocal advocate for liberal education policies, interrupted Chase’s questioning and dismissed the proposal, saying, "I think we won’t engage in a debate," before thanking the Virginia Library Association and opening the floor to other opposition speakers. When no one else spoke up, Hashmi shared her concerns, emphasizing her focus on violence rather than sexually explicit content. “I’ll just say one of my concerns is violence,” she stated. “We seem to focus on sexual explicit material. I don’t really care about that; I care about the gratuitous violence that children are exposed to — not necessarily through books, but through all of the other social media. I think that does far greater harm to our children.”
Hashmi's remark has drawn significant criticism, particularly from parents and conservative groups who argue that sexually explicit content in schools can negatively impact young minds. Critics believe Hashmi’s stance undermines efforts to protect children from potentially harmful material and reflects a broader trend of minimizing parental involvement in educational decisions.
The resurfaced comments come amid heightened tensions in the Virginia gubernatorial race, where Hashmi, a Democrat, is facing off against Republican John Reid. Reid staged a mock debate on Tuesday featuring an AI-generated stand-in for Hashmi, accusing her of refusing to debate him. In response, Hashmi’s campaign released a TV and digital ad accusing Reid of planning to close public schools and divert taxpayer funds to private institutions. Reid quickly denied these claims, labeling them as false, and reiterated his accusation that Hashmi had been avoiding debates.
Hashmi’s comments about not caring whether children are exposed to sexually explicit material in schools continue to fuel the controversy, highlighting the growing divide between those advocating for more parental control and oversight in schools versus those pushing for less restrictions on educational content. With the election approaching, these discussions are set to play a key role in shaping voters' opinions on the candidates' positions regarding education and children’s rights.
