Library supporters upset by board pulling 4 books say they're 'fighting against censorship'
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The Rutherford County Library Board ordered four books pulled Monday following a recent Murfreesboro community decency standards ordinance.
The board made the book-pulling decision before a packed Murfreesboro City Council Chambers audience of around 100 library-quiet people, including Karen Bingham holding a sign that said, "Let Freedom Read."
The library officials decided they should comply with the city ordinance and a Tennessee General Assembly law that requires that children be protected from the sexual descriptions of the following books that have been in the young adult section of the libraries for ages 12-17:
"Flamer" by Mike Curato
"Let's Talk About It" by Erika Moen
"Queerfully & Wonderfully Made" edited by Leigh Finke
"This Book is Gay" by Juno Dawson
Board members Steve Sullivan, the chairman, and Shawn Wright both said the pulled books was not an LGBTQ+ issue but about complying with a two-year state law and the Murfreesboro ordinance in protecting children from dangerous or sexually explicit materials in the library.
People can challenge the state law or city ordinance through the courts, but the board must comply with the requirements, Sullivan said.
People on both sides of issue speak to board
The board heard public comments, including from Talitha Cox expressing concerns about children being exposed to books about sex, such as "Flamer" and "This Book is Gay."
"The American Academy of pediatrics has discovered that children as early as 6 years old develop negative effects from being exposed to early sexual explicit materials and develop warped views of healthy intimate relationships," Cox told the board. "Early exposure leads to the inability to know boundaries with sexual relationships, which affects their ability to understand sexual abuse."
Cox also told the board that early exposure to children about sex also "leads to early sexual intercourse, sex, addictions and sexual aggression."
The board also heard from people such as Matthew Fee opposing books being pulled from library. A Rutherford County Library Alliance leader, Fee touted that over 1,000 people have signed a petition to oppose library censorship.
"We aim to safeguard against any potential encroachment on the availability of library materials," Fee told the board. "It is our solemn duty to ensure that the cherished principles of an open, free and accessible library are upheld for our community."
His wife, Tiffany Fee, also spoke about how the alliance is "dedicated to upholding the integrity of our public library system and fighting against censorship stemming from the Murfreesboro decency ordinance."
Mayor McFarland says his censorship comment taken out of context
The Fees joined about a dozen people in a vigil outside in front of city hall after the meeting. They listened to comments from Keri Lambert, who also spoke to The Daily News Journal prior to the board meeting.
"I believe in the Constitution and the First Amendment that gives everyone the right of free speech, and will continue to fight for this as long as necessary," Lambert said.
Lambert prior to the meeting passed out paper signs for people to hold with a quote attributed to Murfreesboro Mayor Shane McFarland: "Government shouldn't be involved in censoring or directing what should be seen or not seen."
McFarland said the comment was a tweet he made in opposition to the government censoring social media and not about protecting children from obscene material.
The mayor led the majority of the council in voting in support of the community decency standards ordinance that can include challenges to materials considered obscene for children in the library.
"This is not about censorship," McFarland said. "This is about existing laws that are in place about what is acceptable for minors. A minor cannot go into a gas station and buy a Playboy or buy a pornographic book. That's against the law, and it's been against the law as long as I can remember. The same laws are in place at governmental institutions as well, and that includes the library."
Adults can check out whatever they want to check out at the library, the mayor said.
"They have that ability within the law," McFarland said.
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MTSU First Amendment expert questions decision
The board's decision to pull four books surprised Ken Paulson, director of the Free Speech Center at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro.
"Public librarians don’t ban books," said Paulson, who's also a media professor at MTSU and a former editor in chief for USA Today. "Librarians have been America’s heroes when it comes to free expression, and removing a book because the board concludes that content inappropriate is stunning and violates core American values."
The only illegal speech in America is obscene content, but that's only if the material offers no socially redeeming value, Paulson said.
"I know of no book in any library in America that has met that standard," said Paulson, adding that the pulled books should be viewed as legal because they contain ideas. "I have never read these books, but the odds of them being legally obscene are slim to none."
Board keeps 2 books
Although board members decided to pull four books, they determined two books with public requests to remove should be allowed to remain in the library:
"An ABC of Equality" by Chana Ginelle Ewing for the young adult section of library
"Gender Queer" by Maia Kobabe for the adult section of library
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The packed meeting room remained calm. The board usually meets in conference room at Linebaugh Library but was able to move next door to Murfreesboro City Hall Council Chambers.
"Everyone was respectful," said Sullivan, the library board chairman.
MTSU Honors College Dean John Vile agreed the meeting was respectful and was glad the board permitted people holding signs to stay.
Vile said he came to the meeting worried the event would be a "book burning kind of thing" before listening to the board's concerns to make sure certain materials are not available to young children without the consent of parents.
"I think that is a valid concern," Vile said.
Vile said he also came to the meeting with a fear the board would "burn witches."
"Librarians have really difficult decisions to make," Vile said.
Board member Cody York did question the librarians past decision to permit the "Let's Talk About It" book with images of nudity, information about medically changed bodies, advice on sex acts and how to obtain pornography.
"I think this is utterly ridiculous that this was on the shelf within the library," York said. "It's a complete failure of how this library operates."
Fellow board member Lauren Brandon urged her fellow officials to offer grace and understanding to staff members who have been for years following the guidelines of the American Library Association.
Sullivan, the board chairman, suggested training is needed for staff in determining library materials.
"It's about application of the law," Sullivan said.
Board overrules staff recommendations on 2 books
The library officials also directed staff to use three types of library cards: one for children age 11 and under that allows access to children's materials; one for young adults 17 and under that allows access to children's and young adult materials; and one for adults 18 and over that allows access to all materials.
Parents can opt in to allow children or young adults to also have full access, explained Rita Shacklett, the library system director.
Although the board ordered books to be pulled, "some titles will still be available digitally in our catalog as we have no control over the content in the Libby and Hoopla databases," Shacklett said.
The board overruled library staff recommendations to allow, "Flamer," and "Queerfully and Wonderfully Made," to remain in the book collection.
Staff advised that "Let's Talk About It" and "This Book is Gay," should be pulled.
Pulled books still accessible online
Some of the board's discussion related to the staff following book guidelines from the American Library Association. Board members expressed concerns that some of those ALA recommendations may include books that could be considered inappropriate for children.
Wright, who's also an elected member of the Murfreesboro City Council, mentioned concerns about protecting children from access to what many people would view as pornography.
"If Larry Flynt (deceased publisher of "Hustler") or Hugh Hefner (deceased publisher of "Playboy") came out with a kids version of their famous magazines, there's no way these librarians would put them in the children's sections because they wouldn't be appropriate for children, but yet the books (such as the ones pulled) we have in front of us are just as pornographic," said Wright, who supported the city's community decency standards ordinance.
Reach reporter Scott Broden with news tips or questions by emailing him at sbroden@dnj.com. Follow him on Twitter @ScottBroden. To support his work with The Daily News Journal, sign up for a digital subscription.
This article originally appeared on Murfreesboro Daily News Journal: Library board pulls 4 books deemed inappropriate for children
