When to Fight and When to Step Aside: Strategies for Addressing Good and Bad Bills

Not every bill requires the same response. Some demand an all-out campaign, while others are better left alone to unfold without drawing extra attention. The most challenging lesson for advocates is discerning when to fight and when to step aside.

Two principles guide this discernment:

• Do not waste political capital on bad bills that already have momentum.
• Use the campaign itself to build political capital when a fight is necessary.

School librarians often face legislation that undermines their work or threatens their profession, prompting the instinct to fight at every turn. However, sometimes a flawed bill is better left to advance toward a veto or a court challenge, as it may not be worth expending energy to resist it in the legislature.

Recent experiences illustrate this point. In North Dakota and New Hampshire, bills deemed anti-reader and anti-educator could not be halted in committee. By shifting focus from the legislature to a veto campaign, advocates were able to concentrate on connecting with governors who understood the constitutional flaws in the bills. In Arkansas, school library advocates prepared for legal action instead of engaging in unwinnable battles on the legislative floor.

This strategy is not a form of surrender; rather, it acknowledges that resources are limited and that advocating for core values is often more effective in venues that are more likely to address them.

The same caution applies when a strong bill is progressing. If a good bill enjoys broad support, organizing rallies, postcard campaigns, and press releases can sometimes do more harm than good. Drawing opposition into the discussion risks slowing down or even derailing its progress.

If the legislature, relevant committees, and the governor’s office are aligned, a quiet approach to letting the bill pass may be the most strategic. The victory still counts, and political capital remains intact for future battles.

Not every bill is guaranteed easy passage or certain defeat. Many bills occupy a middle ground where outcomes depend on effective organizing, messaging, and persistence. These are the moments worth investing energy into.

Campaigns present opportunities to build political capital. They help forge coalitions, strengthen relationships with legislators, and demonstrate the seriousness of the library community. Even if a bill fails, the infrastructure created—through sign-on letters, testimonies, and alliances—becomes essential groundwork for future successes.

Advocacy is not merely about passion or outrage; it is about discernment. Where will our energy have the greatest impact? Where will resistance build long-term power? Where will a strategic restraint preserve our credibility and resources for the next challenge?

School librarians do not need to engage in every battle the same way. By learning when to press forward and when to step aside, we position ourselves to not just win individual battles but to sustain the broader campaign for the right to read.

For more on this topic, please view the August 2025 SLJ Webinar with John Chrastka and other state-level library advocates at “Librarians, Legislation, and Media Training: Successfully advocate for libraries in legislature and your local community.”

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