Krysti Shallenberger, who’s part of a group that fights library censorship, spoke with Cullman County commissioners about their stance on books after all five commissioners signed a petition to withdraw from the American Library Association in September.
That petition they signed had been offered up by Clean Up Alabama (CUA), a group behind the majority of book challenges, according to the Cullman Tribune.
“One of our commissioners, Garry Marchman, openly said he wants all LGBTQ books out of the library,” Shallenberger recently told AL.com, describing the conversation as a tense argument. Shallenberger’s a member of Read Freely Alabama (RFA), which opposes book challenges that target LGBTQ, Black, and other minority communities.
But in an interview Wednesday with AL.com, Marchman said he won’t waver from his stance. He said he’s received more calls of support from constituents, who “have the same feeling I do.” Even though Marchman said he loves members of his family who are LGBTQ, he said, “I’m not going to condone that lifestyle, because it’s a matter of my faith.” Marchman said young children shouldn’t have access to these books.
Interim library director Josephine Harrington said the majority of their catalog comes specifically from community requests, including the LGBTQ community, and that most of the complaints have come from people who don’t use the library regularly. She added how “astounded” she was at the “massive Christian fiction section.”
“The fact that these items are on the shelves means someone in our community does want to read these items,” Harrington said. “So we are representing that aspect of our community by providing these.”
The Cullman Tribune reported the library board decided on Oct. 19 to keep three challenged books with LGBTQ themes in the library. The books brought up for reconsideration by resident Shirley Arnette were “Heather Has Two Mommies,” “Prince & Knight,” and “Lily and Dunkin.” As of publication, “Prince & Knight” doesn’t appear in the online catalog.
According to the submitted reconsideration forms, the primary reason Arnette wanted the books to be removed or placed “behind the counter for parents’ request” was because they “contain alternate sexualities.” Arnette noted the back cover of “Prince & Knight” said, “Proceeds go to accelerating LGBTQ acceptance.”
Shallenberger was happy with the board’s decision. She received her library card at four years of age. Her conservative Christian mom homeschooled her and prohibited Harry Potter books. However, her mother believed parents should decide which books are appropriate for children to read.
Harrington, who also grew up in a Christian household, said she wasn’t surprised by the board’s decision because they’re supporters of the library and “trust that the librarians here know what we’re doing when we order the books.”
Shallenberger said moving books to different library sections is discrimination based on religious and political views. The library board agreed that allowing changes based on personal beliefs “could open the door to a lot worse.”
“Where does it stop?” Shallenberger asked. “Where is that red line?
Marchman said he doesn’t believe in having sex before marriage. When asked if he supported having books in the library that feature heterosexual sexual relationships, he said that it depends on the age.
“I think we should all be educated about our bodies and the way they’re supposed to function, maybe things that are pleasant to a woman and pleasant to a man and stuff like that,” Marchman said. “And I think these things should be taught, but I don’t think they should be taught in the public library. I think they need to be taught at home.”
The list of books that CUA opposes includes “The Hate U Give,” about an unarmed teenager who’s shot and killed by police, and the protests that followed. Regarding race, Marchman said he didn’t have a problem with these books.
Shallenberger said there’s a misconception that RFA comprises people with liberal political viewpoints. The group includes conservatives, progressives, and those with varying religious beliefs. She said no one likes being told how to parent their children.
Those who challenge books based on personal beliefs think, “You don’t know how to parent your child,” Shallenberger said. “Therefore, we are telling you how to parent your child by taking these books out because we think they’re not appropriate for your child.”
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