Board members of the Centralia Public Library voted in favor of the freedom to read the evening of October 13 at Centralia City Hall.
Meeting before a 19-member audience, board members listened to a statement from library director Amy Hopkins and one from Centralia resident Nancy Stroppel.
Hopkins’s statement explained how the reasoning behind the library staff’s decision to keep four books available to the public.
Stroppel’s addressed why she thought that was a bad idea.
From the left, Alan Baca – president of the Centralia Library Board, Amy Hopkins – director of the Centralia Public Library and Angela Taylor, board member and past president of the library board, listening to the audience at the board’s meeting in city hall. Hopkins is reading her statement regarding a request to restrict access to certain books that had been donated for the children’s section.
The board voted unanimously, with two members, Katherine Butrum and Suzanne Long, absent, to support the staff’s decision to keep the four children’s books available: The children’s books in question are: Jack (Not Jackie), by Erica Silverman; My Awesome Brother, by Lise’ Frances; Pink is for Boys, by Robb Pearlman; and Uncle Bobby’s Wedding, by Sarah Brannen.
Hopkins said the librarians and board members had all read the books.
Stroppel, in her statement, attempted to draw parallels between the books’ content and drug and tobacco abuse, as well as detailing the dangers of gender reassignment surgery and drug treatments to young people.
Hopkins read from a previously submitted document, a “book placement challenge,” from Lauren Benoit asking the books to be removed from view for children younger than 13 or not yet in eighth grade.
Benoit, though present at the October meeting, did attend and present her concerns at the board’s September meeting.
Listen to Centralia Library Director Amy Hopkins’ speech below.
Hopkins read from one of Benoit’s book challenge documents – “My request is for any LGBTQ material to be removed from the children’s section of
the library. I do not want my children, or any other children, to see these types of materials in the children’s section. I would simply like the board to remove LGBTQ-themed books from the children’s section of the library.”
Hopkins said the library could not judge books under what she said was “such a wide-ranging request.”
Listen to Nancy Stroppel’s speech below.
She said the library has thousands of books in its children’s room.
“If we were to use the example of this particular book, ’Pink is for Boys,’ which is a book about colors and colors are for everyone, then we would have quite a job on our hands.”
For those in the audience or new to the topic, Hopkins asked them to understand that Benoit’s request was not about banning books.
“I want to be as clear as possible. Mrs. Benoit is not asking CPL to ban these books. She is asking that we place them where they cannot be accessed by children under 13 or eighth grade. As you can see from the display, these four books were clearly written for young children.
In addition to the decision for these book challenges, I would like to address two points that Mrs. Benoit laid out in her presentation to the board last month.
The first addresses censorship. Mrs. Benoit believes that where children are concerned, the rules of censorship (quote) “do not apply”. This is false.
Libraries have a responsibility to provide information for a wide variety of users, including children. First Amendment rights are for them too. We also have a responsibility to not let our personal feelings interfere with our obligation to serve All of our tax payers. As public institutions, libraries cannot
discriminate based on race, religion, age, background or views. There are some instances where first amendment protections do not apply. These include; obscenity, fraud, child pornography, speech integral to illegal conduct, defamation of character, speech that incites imminent lawless action, speech that violates intellectual property law, true threats, and commercial speech such as advertising…
For her part Stroppel, a resident of the library district, said, in part: “We live in a nation that protects free speech and the free intercourse of ideas. So let’s take a look at a few titles. ‘Smoking Stinks, Say no to Smoking, No smoking and Vaping.’ I searched online for children’s’ books which promote smoking and saw that there are none available. Here is another title ‘No Smoking, No Drinking No Drugs.’ The same is true for all of those topics. So why is this? We all know the health issues regarding the use of these drugs – lung damage, addiction, cancer, heart and liver disease, car accidents, brain development interference, etc. The reason drug promotion books aren’t available for children is because they do not have the maturity to weight imminent or long-term consequences. Current culture has declined to not make these behaviors appear fun, cute or glamorous.
Yet, today, we are inundated with gender identity books which model sex choice for minors to appear fun, cute or glamorous. Now let’s look at the health consequences which can result when minors seek sex changes..
Referring to sources such as the Mayo Clinic, Stroppel mentioned puberty blocking drugs which she said could have long term effects on growth spurts, bone growth and future fertility. Editor’s note, an audio recording of Stroppel’s complete, statement, as well as the full text, is available for listening at www.firesideguard.com.
She concluded by saying: “Since Libraries do not provide childrens’ books which promote drug usage, why would this library provide childrens books which promote lifestyles which can lead to a new form of drug usage which creates dangerous health complications. We love the children of this community and want them protected.
If left in the library, I appeal to you to keep these books in a special section where parents can access them if they choose, but don’t allow children’s access. “
Benoit and her husband Alex sent this statement to the Fireside Guard regarding the library Board’s decision.
“We are disappointed in the Library’s decision to disregard our request to remove LGBTQ themed materials from the Children’s section of the Library. This request never asked for these books to be banned, but simply removed from the Children’s section. The community is now aware of the inappropriate material that is available to our Children at our local public library. Our Children’s innocence is worth protecting and fighting for.”
Editor’s note: Below are the complete statements submitted to the Centralia Fireside Guard by Hopkins and Stroppel.
Stroppel
We live in a nation and community that protects free speech and the free intercourse of ideas. So let’s take a look at a few titles. SMOKING STINKS, SAY NO TO SMOKING, NO SMOKING AND VAPING.
I searched online for children’s’ books which promote smoking and saw that there are none available. Here is another title – NO SMOKING NO DRINKING NO DRUGS. The same is true for all of those topics.
So why is this? We all know the health issues regarding the use of these drugs – lung damage, addiction, cancer, heart and liver disease, car accidents, brain development interference, etc. The reason drug promotion books aren’t available for children is because they do not have the maturity to weigh imminent or long-term consequences. Current culture has decided to not make these behaviors appear fun, cute or glamorous.
Yet, today, we are inundated with gender identity books which model sex choice for minors to appear fun, cute or glamorous. Now let’s look at the health consequences which can result when minors seek sex changes.
Mayo Clinic excerpts: “Use of *GnRH analogues” (which in layman’s terms is puberty blockers) “might also have long-term effects on: growth spurts, bone growth and density, future fertility — depending on when pubertal blockers are started. If children with male genitalia begin using GnRH analogues early in puberty, they might not develop enough penile and scrotal skin for certain gender affirming genital surgical procedures, such as penile inversion vaginoplasty. In addition, delaying puberty beyond one’s peers can be stressful. Your child might experience lower self-esteem.”
Agency for Health Care Administration report regarding Alarming Increase In Children Receiving Puberty Blockers excerpt: “The soaring increase in children receiving pharmaceutical and surgical treatments for gender dysphoria . . . is potentially indicative of a medical community increasingly focused on promoting treatment found to be experimental and investigational with the potential for harmful long-term effects, including brain swelling and aneurysm…”
Puberty Blockers, Cross-Sex Hormones, And Youth Suicide report excerpt: “A superior research design shows that easing access to puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones by minors without parental consent increases suicide rates.”
Since libraries do not provide children’s’ books which promote drug usage, why would this library provide children’s’ books which promote lifestyles which can lead to a new form of drug usage which creates dangerous health complications. We love the children of this community and want them protected.
If left in the library, I appeal to you to keep these books in a special section where parents can access them if they choose but don’t allow children’s access.
Respectfully, Nancy Stroppel
Hopkins
Good evening everyone! This decision was prepared by myself, Amy Hopkins, Director of CPL, with input from staff librarians; Cait Spears, Samantha Nichols and Sadiqa Saleh.
Request for Reconsideration forms were submitted by Lauren Benoit challenging these four children’s books; Pink is for Boys by Robb Pearlman (2-6 yrs) My Awesome Brother, a children’s book about transgender acceptance by Lise Francis (3-12 yrs) Jack (not Jackie) by Erica Silverman (4-8 yrs) Uncle Bobby’s Wedding by Sarah Brannen (3-5 yrs) I have displayed all of these books for you (the public) to look at and have included the awards received and some reviews from reputable magazines and journals such as Kirkus, BookTrust and School Library Journal. According to these Book Challenges… This is a direct quote:
“My request is for any LGBTQ themed material to be removed from the Children’s section of the Library. I do not want my children, or any other children, to see these types of materials in the Children’s section… I simply would like the board to remove LGBTQ themed books from the Children’s section of the Library.” CPL cannot judge books under such a wide-ranging request. We have thousands of books in our Children’s room. If we were to use the example of “Pink is for Boys”, which is a book about colors and that all colors are for everyone, then we would have quite a job on our hands!
I want to be as clear as possible. Mrs. Benoit is not asking CPL to “ban” these books, she is asking that we place them where they cannot be accessed by children under 13 (or 8th grade). As you can see from the display, these four books were clearly written for young children.
1 In addition to the decision for these book challenges, I would like to address two points that Mrs. Benoit laid out in her presentation to the board last month. The first addresses censorship. Mrs. Benoit believes that where children are concerned, the rules of censorship (quote) “do not apply”. This is false. Libraries have a responsibility to provide information for a wide variety of users, including children. First Amendment rights are for them too. We also have a responsibility to not let our personal feelings interfere with our obligation to serve ALL of our tax payers. As public institutions, libraries cannot discriminate based on race, religion, age, background or views. There are some instances where first amendment protections do not apply. These include; obscenity, fraud, child pornography, speech integral to illegal conduct, defamation of character, speech that incites imminent lawless action, speech that violates intellectual property law, true threats, and commercial speech such as advertising.
For those in the community that are concerned about unattended children viewing “objectionable” or “alternative” materials; We have an Unattended Child Policy whereas children ages 8 and under must be accompanied by their parent, guardian or responsible caregiver. We, as a public institution, do not act in the place of parents. While patrons are free to reject for themselves (or their own children) materials of which they do not approve, they cannot exercise this right of self-censorship to restrict the freedom of access for others. No one has the right to make rules restricting what other people use, or to make decisions for other families.
2 The second addresses the accusation that CPL is pushing the LGBTQ agenda by simply displaying these materials. This is absolutely false. CPL creates displays in every area of our library with the only agenda in mind to inform the public of what is available to them. The accusation that we are trying to (quote) “indoctrinate” the children of Centralia by “attempting to familiarize” them “with these controversial themes” is insulting at best, defamation at worst. What people often fail to realize is that most of the time there are real people, who have feelings, in the direct path of their accusations. If there is proof substantiating this claim, I would like to see the evidence. This is another example of Free Speech and whether we like it or not, it’s the law of the land. The Centralia Public Library strives to be a place where everyone feels welcome and accepted regardless of race, religion, ethnicity, gender, social, or political views. Our entire society benefits when libraries uphold the right of access to information! All patrons regardless of where they live (in our library district or not) are always encouraged to fill out material request forms for specific items or subjects that they would like to see in our collection. This is the absolute best way for us to know what you want! Pick up a form at the front desk of the Library. (There is also a link to this form on our Facebook page and our website).
Library Decision:
The staff librarians and myself, the library director, have read each challenged book and have concluded that they do have value and are appropriate to include in our children’s collection. There is no content which would constitute removal or reclassification into another area of the library. They will stay in the collection as long as they are relevant, circulating, and meet the criteria spelled out in our Collection Development policy. Although there will be some that disagree with our decision, I hope it’s clear that we’ve given it a great deal of thought, and believe it is in accordance with ALA guidelines, our Collection Development policy and the Core Values of Librarianship. (All of these documents are located on the About page of our website.)
Thank you.
