Sheriff — a citizen and father — enters conversation on questionable books
Anderson County Sheriff Russell Barker addressed the April 13 meeting of the Library Board and informed the board of the results of the criminal investigation he had con- ducted concerning the books “Let’s Talk About It” and “Gender Queer.” While he said these books violated no law, as a citizen and a father he objected to them being in the library. Barker vowed to file a challenge with the Library Board concerning those books. (photo:Pete Gwada )
The challenge was announced at the April 13 meeting of the county Library Board, held at the Briceville library.
The crowd was smaller and more civil at that meeting than they were at the March 27 public forum. However, because Briceville is a smaller library, the meeting, which lasted almost three hours, was held outside on the library’s patio.
Barker reported on the criminal investigation he had made into two books, “Let’s Talk About It” and “Gender Queer,” to see if they violated Tennessee obscenity laws.
The sheriff said that applying the tests of legal criteria for pornography under Tennessee law, no laws were broken. He referred to the Miller Test which came from the Supreme Court (Miller v. California, 1973).
Under this test, there are three conditions that must be met for material to be considered obscene. The first is that an average person, using comtemporary community standards, would find that the material appeals to the prurient, shameful or morbid interests of minors.
The second condition is that the material is patently offensive to prevailing standards in the adult community as a whole with respect to what is suitable for minors. The third test is that the material as a whole lacks serious literary, artistic, political and scientific value for minors. Using those conditions Barker and Jay Yeager, the county’s law director, both said these books were not illegal.
However, Barker went on to say, “As your sheriff, a citizen, and a dad, I don’t like them, I don’t approve of them at all.
“It has to be up to the parents to have the ‘birds and bees’ conversation,” he asserted.
“If we want them in our public library, I think we have to segregate them,” the sheriff said. “As a community we have to agree on what is acceptable and what is not.” he stated. While he said the books in question were not in violation of the law, Barker said library policies could be changed.
The library board has a procedure for a person to challenge books they feel objectionable. The sheriff said that as Russell Barker, a citizen of Anderson County, and not as sheriff, he would like to challenge those two books as he took the necessary forms to file his challenge.
The most discordant note in the meeting came as Jack Mansfield disagreed with the sheriff accusing Barker of avoiding the issue, a challenge Barker said he took personally. The sheriff had to ask Mansfield to quite shouting and to quit interrupting him.
“My concern is for the children,” said Commissioner Anthony Allen. He considered children our most valuable commodity. He compared segregating certain books with having a fun room for children with an X rated room within that fun room. “If you have books that you have to segregate they don’t need to be there,” was his opinion. Allen had previously circulated a packet containing illustrations and excerpts from 14 books he claimed were obscene.
As at previous meetings, there was a range of opinions from those who spoke. One speaker, who identified herself as a mother said she would not allow her children in the library if those books are in it. Others defended the books. One person wore a T shirt which bore the caption,” Every great library has something to offend everyone.”
Joshua Anderson, chairman of the library board, said that the library system has a process to “red flag” a child’s library card to note the types of books or a particular book title the parent does not want the child to check out. He said that process would start the next morning. To clarify that process the board voted to form a written policy concerning the red flagging of library cards by parents.
Yeager said he would come up with some policy recommendations at the next month’s meeting. He said the situation has polarized the community and added optimistically “We are going to get it right. I think I can find a compromise position.” He also suggested screening public library books on a state level similar to the process used for screening public school library books to relieve local librarians of that responsibility.
The library board committee which investigated a library patrons’ complaint of the book “It’s Perfectly Normal” decided to move that book from the children’s section to the young adult section. It was noted that the person filing the complaint has not responded to the committee’s decision. If that person does not agree with the committee’s decisions, the entire library board will consider the challenge.
Anderson suggested that the board adopt a minimum time limit before a book that has been challenged can be challenged again.
“I want to work with you to resolve this problem” stated Commissioner Shain Vowell. “Please put forth a good faith effort to look at proposed changes.”
Vowell said he had first heard about the questionable library books from a constituent, not the Republican National Committee. At the March 27 public forum Commissioner Stephan Verran charged that the list of 14 questionable library books had been circulated by the RNC to stir up hate against the LGBT community. Vowell noted that even though no criminal laws had been broken there was the possibility the county might have to defend the library board against a civil suit. “My number one priority is protecting the children of this county,” Vowell said.
The strong feelings of some citizens have caused librarians to be worried.
Miria Webb, director of the Clinton library, told the Courier News she has received hateful emails which caused her “concern.” The other librarians contacted said they had not received any personal threats. However, some of the librarians were concerned over rash statements made at the March 27 public forum by one of the speakers. Police present at that meeting did not consider those remarks a threat.
The next meeting of the library board will be at 5:30 p.m. May 11 at Norris library.