PROVIDENCE — The war on porn has hit Rhode Island schools.

Rep. Richard W. Singleton, I-Cumberland, has proposed legislation that would make it a misdemeanor for school employees to bring pornographic materials or sex toys onto school grounds.

Singleton said the idea stemmed from a troubling incident he heard about in a South County town — he wouldn’t say which one — where a school employee “brought something into the building which was inappropriate.” Officials who discovered the object were surprised to learn that no law made it illegal to have in a school, he said.

“When this subject came up, I said, well there must be a law against that, but no, there isn’t,” he said. “It surprised me, quite frankly, that an employee of a school could bring this type of thing in.”

Pressed for details about the episode, Singleton declined further comment, saying he’s “not allowed to discuss” it. He said the police were not contacted.

Attorney general spokesman Michael J. Healey said to his knowledge state prosecutors were not aware of this incident or any other like it.

“We deal with every police department in the state,” Healey said. “We certainly hear about things going on out in our communities but nothing like this has been brought to our attention.”

The graphically worded legislation was modeled on a similar ban in Texas, which legislative staffers researched at Singleton’s request, according to House spokesman Larry Berman.

Rhode Island’s bill provides a list of “obscene devices” that would be prohibited and adds that other materials including some books, magazines, videos and computer files would also be banned.

The legislation defines “obscene matter” as any item “taken as a whole that to the average person, applying contemporary statewide standards, appeals to the prurient interest, that, taken as a whole depicts or describes sexual conduct in a patently offensive way, and that, taken as a whole, lacks serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value.”

Employees found guilty of the crime could face up to a year in prison and a fine up of up to $1,000.

Steven Brown, executive director of the Rhode Island Affiliate of the American Civil Liberties Union, yesterday criticized the bill for potentially creating more problems than it will solve.

“First, I think the bill is hopelessly vague. It doesn’t define many key terms, and an English teacher shouldn’t have to risk a criminal penalty because someone decides James Joyce’s Ulysses [that] he had in his briefcase is obscene,” Brown said.

“The other significant problem is that it could create an atmosphere of encouraging school administrators to rummage through teachers’ belongings and that’s of great concern. This is a bill that’s unnecessary and one that creates a lot more problems than it purports to solve.”

Col. Stephen M. McCartney, Warwick police chief and president of the Rhode Island Police Chiefs Association, said he hadn’t yet reviewed the bill or discussed it with school officials.

The legislation has been referred to the House Judiciary Committee. Berman said it is too early in the House session to gauge its support.

cneedham@projo.com