Library policy rescinded
By KEVIN CHIRI
Slidell news bureau
SLIDELL – While the attention of parish elections took center stage in St. Tammany for recent months, it is clear nothing will stop the efforts of the St. Tammany Library Board to ensure that sexually explicit books remain available on the shelves of the public library branches for children.
For that matter, the board on Monday night took an extra step to guarantee virtually none of the nearly 200 challenged books would be unavailable to minors any longer when they rescinded a policy from last December that had temporarily put the questioned books behind the counter until a review and final decision on the books was made.
All of the challenged books are now expected to return to the shelves immediately.
The matter of sexually explicit books being available to children of all ages in the 12 public library branches has been at the forefront of big parish issues ever since June of 2022 when several of the books were first discovered by a few parish mothers.
It started a deeper look into what was in the public libraries that children could access, leading to nearly 200 challenges of books considered sexually explicit, or discussing sexual identity topics. All the materials were accessible to anyone in the libraries, no matter their age, even though library officials claimed some books were in the adult section. There are no barriers for children of any age to walk into the adult section and pull a book off the shelf.
A public watchdog group formed and requested the challenged books be put into a restricted section needing parental approval, but to date, the Library Board, headed by Director Kelly LaRocca, has seen fit to fight every action on that front. LaRocca insisted to The Slidell Independent last year that she sees no pornography in any books, nor does she see reason to restrict any books in the library.
The only restrictions so far were to graphic novels that had actual pictures of a host of sex acts, which covered less than 10 of the challenged books.
On Monday night, the board continued its perfect streak of returning every challenged book back to the shelves when they voted unanimously to put “The Moon Within” and “The Freedom Writer’s Diary” back on the shelves. That marked the 20th and 21st book that a library committee reviewed, rejecting the public challenge every time.
The committee to review the books is hand-picked by LaRocca and has so far recommended every book go back to the shelves. The board has the final decision on the recommendation, but has also backed LaRocca at every turn.
The Monday meeting also displayed another effort by the board to ensure no sexually explicit books would be kept from children or minors of any age.
In December of 2022 the board voted that any challenged book would be put behind the counter until the review committee had read the book and made a decision on it. But on Monday, the board voted unanimously to rescind that policy because LaRocca said she believes the St. Tammany system is abiding with a new state law requiring all libraries in the state to create policy to restrict access to these books from minors.
LaRocca and the board sought an opinion from the Louisiana attorney general that asked for a definition of the word “access,” and were told it only meant “to check out.” That left access of the books in the library completely available to minors of all ages.
The two most recently reviewed books included “The Moon Within,” a story about a preteen girl’s menstruation, and her decision that she is both a girl and a boy.
Board Member Bill McHugh, one of the newly appointed members to the board after being nominated for a vacant position by Councilman Martha Cazaubon, has become one of the staunchest supporters of books being available to minors, regardless of what topics may be discussed.
He called “The Moon Within” a “wonderful book” because it dealt with a Spanish girl. However, critics of the book do not believe the story line of a girl thinking she is a boy and a girl, is something a young person should be reading on their own since it deals with sexual identity topics that most young people are too immature to make their own decisions on.
McHugh went further when talking about “A Freedom Writer’s Diary,” which is a publication where high school English students write entries in their teacher’s diary about their hardships and accomplishments. The book contains virtually every topic touching on sex, plus more. There are entries about sexual activities, sexual nudity, alternate sexualities, profanity, derogatory terms, violence including child abuse and molestation, hate including racist commentary, alcohol and drug abuse.
However, McHugh did not understand how anyone would be against young people and children reading the book.
McHugh questioned why anyone would want to restrict a book like this.
“My reaction to this book was one word, ‘Wow!’ I wondered why anyone would want to restrict access to this book? It’s the real world—I’m looking forward to seeing the movie,” he added.
The votes on both books were unanimous, short of Member Jake Airey who abstained since he said he “didn’t do my homework” to review the book.
The argument from the St. Tammany Library Accountability Project leaders has always been they do not believe such story lines including “sexual activities, sexual nudity, alternate sexualities, profanity, derogatory terms, violence including child abuse and molestation, hate including racist commentary, alcohol and drug abuse,” are topics that should be readily accessible to minors of any age. Clearly, members of the Library Board and Director LaRocca see no problem with that.
McHugh was one of two new board members appointed by the Parish Council earlier this year, which led to more criticism of the council when it was discovered that McHugh’s public Facebook page shows things like him selling a hat that says, “Make Trump Irrelevant Again,” along with a post on January 15 that called Republicans “#$hitholerepublicans.” He also stated in a June 24 post “If you are a young woman thinking about working for a major corporation, these would be good choices,” noting a story about national companies that will cover abortion travel costs for employees.
Board Chairman Rebecca Taylor also offered her wholehearted support for “A Freedom Writer’s Diary,” calling it “enlightening, something that many people should read.”
Critics of the situation with the Library Board are hoping that a new look for the Parish Council following the recent elections will bring about action that could lead to replacing the board, finding a way to fire LaRocca, or abolishing the board entirely and starting over with a new system to run the libraries in the parish.
Additionally, there is expected to be state legislation next spring that could provide the muscle for the Parish Council to act, or at least control the far-left board in some manner that they have, to date, done nothing about.
If that does not bring about change, the Accountability Project leaders say they plan to target the millage renewal by the Library Board next year that provides 97 percent of the funding for the St. Tammany libraries.
St. Tammany taxpayers are currently funding the Library Board to the tune of over $12 million a year—the highest public millage or tax for any St. Tammany government agency—leading Accountability Project leaders to question why so few people are making the decisions for over 250,000 people in the parish, most of whom they believe are against the sexually explicit books being available to children.
What’s In The Books?
If you would like to read a synopsis of any challenged books that have been approved for the library shelves again, go online to:
Booklooks.org
Here is the list that has been reviewed by the Library Board and approved for access in the public libraries.
The Moon Within
The Freedom Writer’s Diary
A Costume for Charly
A Court of Thorns and Roses
The Deep and Dark Blue
Flamer
Frankie and Bug
Fred Gets Dressed
I am Jazz
Julian is a Mermaid
Milk and Honey
My Rainbow
Pink is for boys
Pink, Blue, and You
Sex: a book for teens: an uncensored guide to your body, sex, and safety
Sex is a funny word
The bluest eye
Tricks
Two boys kissing
What are your words
When Aidan Became a Brother
Who has what?