Welcome to Nebraska. We’re just like Florida, but with crappier weather.

Why did I say that? Because our Governor has just elevated a person who wants to ban books to a high level position on the state’s library board.

You may not have heard of this story because it was released on the Friday before the Labor Day holiday. People aren’t focused on the news on the Friday before a holiday. They are on the road getting ready for the three day weekend, or they have their minds focused on the start of Husker season and the new five star quarterback that is going to bring the team back to national prominence. If there’s a story you want to bury, you release the information on the Friday before a holiday and a Husker game.

And that’s just what Governor Pillen did.

Last Friday, Governor Pillen appointed Terri Cunningham-Swanson to the Nebraska Library Board.

Why is that a story Governor Pillen would want to bury you ask?

Because she was recently recalled from the Plattsmouth Community Board of Education after she attempted to ban more than 50 books from the school’s libraries including classics like Kurt Vonnegut’s Slaughter House Five and Margaret Atwood’s A Handmaid’s Tale.

The list also included 8 books from Ellen Hopkins. Hopkins is a New York Times best selling author that specializes in books for teenagers with topics that teenagers are dealing with including mental illness and the dangers of drug addiction.

I’ll be honest, the only book on her list of banned books that I’ve read is Slaughterhouse Five. I read that when I was in High School, and it had such an impact on my life. I couldn’t tell you what it’s about if you put bamboo shoots under my fingernails.

While I haven’t read most of these books, I’d be willing to bet that Ms. Cunningham-Swanson hasn’t read most of them either. Yet she is concerned that they are indoctrinating the children.

Slaughterhouse Five didn’t indoctrinate me about anything. Why does she think this generation is any different?

Are there books that are inappropriate for High School students? Yes. But shouldn’t that be decided by the parents and not people like Terri Cunningham-Swanson? Shouldn’t Mom and Dad know what the kids are reading and talk to them about it? Shouldn’t Mom and Dad just be happy the kids are reading?

Evidently that’s what the voters in Plattsmouth believed, because they voted her out of office with 62% of the vote. That didn’t stop the Governor from thinking she’d be a good choice to influence Nebraska’s Libraries.

Nationwide the National Library Association has stated that between 2021 and 2022 the number of attempts to ban books increased 38%. In 2022 a record number of attempts to ban books was recorded. These books primarily dealt with things like race and issues that affect the LGBTQ community.

There are probably books that the book banners support that I would have a problem with. That doesn’t mean I think they should be taken out of the libraries or that I think I should have the power to tell people what they can and can’t read.

While the state Library Board doesn’t have the power to take books off the school shelves, they do provide guidance and technical support to both school and public libraries.

In fairness to Governor Pillen, at the same time he appointed Terri Cuningham-Swanson, two other candidates that appear to be more qualified who have backgrounds in education and technical support were also appointed. Appointing a book banner to the board is obviously something the governor really doesn’t want you to know otherwise he wouldn’t have announced it the way he did.

Florida has been attacking books for a couple of years now. Is Governor Pillen trying to be a midwestern Ron DeSantis? I certainly hope not.

If things keep heading in this direction, it won’t be long before we change our state slogan from “The Good Life State” To “Nebraska….. We’re just like Florida but with crappier weather.”

Tom Becka is a long time Nebraska broadcaster who for over 30 years has been covering Omaha and Midwest issues on both radio and TV. He has been a guest on numerous national cable and news shows, filled in for nationally syndicated talk radio programs and Talkers Magazine has recognized him as one of the Top 100 talk show hosts in the country 10 times. Never afraid to ruffle some feathers, his ‘Becka’s Beat’ commentaries can be found online on Youtube and other digital platforms.

Opinions expressed by columnists in The Daily Record are not necessarily those of its management or staff, and do not constitute an endorsement or recommendation. Any errors or omissions should be called to our attention so that they may be corrected. Contact us at news@omahadailyrecord.com.