[00:00:03]
GOOD EVENING.[1. CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL OF MEMBERS]
UM, THIS MEETING OF THE COMMUNITY STANDARDS REVIEW COMMITTEE, UM, WILL BE CALLED TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL OF MEMBERS.BE EASIER TO DO, WHO'S PRESENT?
LESLIE, UM, ARE ABSENT THIS EVENING.
[2. APPROVAL OF FEBRUARY 23, 2023 CSRC MEETING MINUTES]
THAT'LL TEXT TO ITEM TWO, APPROVAL OF THE FEBRUARY 23RD, UM, CSRC, UH, MEETING MINUTES.I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE OR DO DISCUSS.
DO YOU WANT TO DISCUSS OF OF COURSE.
SO ARE WE JUST JUMPING RIGHT IN YOUR BOOK? NOT GOING.
NO, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MEETING MINUTES.
DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING THAT YOU WANTED TO SAY? NO, NO SAY ABOUT THEM.
THE ONLY THING MINUTES, THE ONLY THING I WANTED TO ASK, UM, DRE, WAS, UM, I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE FORM AT THE BOTTOM SAID THAT IT IS INTENDED FOR BOOKS FOR AGES 11 AND UNDER, UH, BOOKS FOR AGES 12 PLUS WILL NOT BE REVIEWED IN THIS COMMITTEE.
IS THAT, UM, I'LL HAVE TO GO BACK AND DOUBLE CHECK.
IT, IT'S, IT'S WRITTEN IN THE MINUTES THAT WAY, BUT I JUST, UM, MAY ON THE FORM.
IT'S NOT TO BE USED VIA THE FORM, SO I HAVE TO GO BACK AND CHECK.
I, AT THE TOP OF THE FORM OH, WAS, MM-HMM.
BUT, UM, IN THE LANGUAGE AT THE TOP OF THE FORM, IT SAYS, OKAY.
IT ALSO, UM, IN, IN THE, IN THE LAST MEETING THAT WE HAD, JUST TO QUICKLY RECAP IT ALSO, WE ALSO DISCUSSED THAT, UM, WE WANTED THE FORM TO HAVE A VERIFICATION OF THE LIBRARY CARD NUMBER AND AN ADDRESS VERIFICATION, UH, TO, FOR VERIFICATION THAT THE PERSON WHO IS WRITING THE FORM IS A LAKE CITY RESIDENT.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S ON THE, OKAY.
[3. PUBLIC COMMENT]
TO ITEM THREE THEN.I DIDN'T DO A, A PUBLIC COMMENT, BUT WHOEVER WANTS TO GO UP AND SPEAK FIRST.
TELL US WHO YOU ARE WHEN YOU, BEFORE YOU START.
A EVENING, UH, WILL PAY 2209 BENGAN STREET.
UM, BEFORE I GET INTO THE COMMENTS ON THE BOOK THAT YOU ALL REVIEWING TODAY, JUST I WANTED TO POINT OUT, UH, SOMETHING THAT WAS A LITTLE UNUSUAL TO ME, UH, RELATED TO THE FORMAT OF THIS MEETING.
UH, IT SEEMS THAT THE WAY THIS BOOK REVIEW IS BEING CONDUCTED IS DIFFERENT FROM ANY OF THE PREVIOUS MEETINGS, UM, SPECIFICALLY THAT THE LIBRARY MATERIALS, UH, RECONSIDERATION POLICY SAYS THAT YOU WILL HAVE A FIRST MEETING WHERE YOU'LL BE PRESENTED WITH THE REQUEST FOR RECONSIDERATION, AND THEN WITHIN 31 DAYS, YOU WILL SET A SECOND MEETING FOR PUBLIC HEARING.
UH, THAT'S THE WAY IN WHICH THE POLICIES CURRENTLY WRITTEN.
THAT'S THE WAY THAT PREVIOUS RECONSIDERATIONS HAVE BEEN MANAGED.
UM, I THINK IT'S STUPID TO SCHEDULE A MEETING, TO SCHEDULE ANOTHER MEETING.
SO CHANGING THE POLICY WOULD MAKE SENSE, BUT, UM, IT IS A POLICY THAT IS, UH, REFERENCED BY THE ORDINANCE.
SO I WOULD THINK THAT ONE OF TWO THINGS SHOULD HAVE OCCURRED EITHER THE CITY COUNCIL, UH, AMENDED THE POLICY OR THAT THIS COMMITTEE DURING A PUBLIC HEARING, UH, OR PUBLIC MEETING DISCUSS CHANGING THAT POLICY AND THEN PRESENTING THAT TO COUNSEL FOR THEIR INFORMATION.
SO, UM, THAT'S NEITHER HERE NOR THERE.
WHAT'S ON THE AGENDA IS WHAT'S ON THE AGENDA, UM, FOR THE BOOK ITSELF.
UM, BIGWIG A COUPLE OF THINGS FOR ME THAT I WANT TO POINT OUT IS, UH, I, I DON'T SEE ANYTHING IN THIS BOOK THAT, TO ME, APPEARS TO BE HARMFUL TO MINORS IN ANY WAY.
UH, NOTHING THAT DEFINITELY MEETS THE DEFINITION OF OBSCENITY.
UM, NOWHERE IN THE BOOK, I'M NOT, HOPEFULLY YOU ALL READ IT.
UM, DOES IT USE EVEN THE WORD DRAG? UM, I, I THINK THEY ONLY USED ONE GENDER PRONOUN THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE BOOK ITSELF.
UM, AND I, I THINK THERE'S AN ULTIMATE MISUNDERSTANDING THAT DRAG ISN'T OF ITSELF INHERENTLY SEXUAL IN NATURE.
UH, AND IF YOU LOOK AT HISTORY, THAT'S SIMPLY NOT THE CASE FOR CENTURIES, UH, WE HAD PERFORMERS ON STAGE WHERE MEN WERE FILLING THE ROLES OF WOMEN, UH, IN VARIOUS FORMS
[00:05:01]
OF, OF, OF ENTERTAINMENT.ONE OF MY FAVORITE MOVIES, MISS DOUBTFIRE, UH, WE HAVE A PERSON WHO SPENDS MUCH OF THAT MOVIE IN DRAG.
UM, IT, IT JUST TO ME, SEEMS LIKE WE ARE STRETCHING, UH, WITH THIS PARTICULAR REQUEST FOR RECONSIDERATION.
I UNDERSTAND THAT IT IS A REQUEST.
I HOPE THAT YOU ALL HAVE TAKEN THE TIME TO REVIEW IT, GIVE IT SOME THOUGHTFUL, UM, PERSPECTIVE BEFORE YOU COME FORWARD AND, AND TAKE ACTION ON THIS.
AND I HOPE THAT SUCH ACTION WOULD BE TO FIND THAT THERE IS NOTHING IN THIS BOOK THAT IS HARMFUL TO CHILDREN AND THAT IT SHOULD STAY EXACTLY WHERE IT IS IN THE LIBRARY.
MICHELLE, DID YOU WANT TO ADDRESS THE HELLO? THANK YOU.
UM, WE DID HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT PARTICULAR POINT IN THE POLICY.
THE WAY THE POLICY IS WRITTEN, THERE IS A PROVISION THAT SAYS THERE'S LIKE A ORDER OF THINGS WHERE IT SHALL BE FIRST PRESENTED AND THEN WITHIN 31 DAYS, UM, A HEARING IS TO BE SET.
THAT PROVISION, UM, FRANKLY, IS A LITTLE BIT INTO THE DISCRETION OF THE COMMITTEE.
AND THE REASON I SAY THAT IS BECAUSE THE 31 DAYS IS TO PROVIDE THE COMMITTEE WITH AN OPPORTUNITY AND THE TIME TO REVIEW THE BOOK AND TO SEE IF, FOR INSTANCE, IF SOMEONE WANTED TO COMPLAIN ABOUT A CHILDREN'S BOOK, THE SIZE AND THE COMPLEXITY OF WAR AND PEACE, YOU WOULD HAVE THE TIME AND YOU COULD ACTUALLY READ IT, STUDY IT, DO WHAT YOU NEED TO DO IN ORDER TO BRING YOURSELF TO A POINT WHERE YOU CAN ACTUALLY HAVE HOLD A HEARING ON IT.
SO THAT EXTRA TIMEFRAME IS NOT FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE COMPLAINANT, IT'S FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE COMMITTEE.
AND SO THE COMMITTEE HAVING RECEIVED THE BOOK, IF YOU FEEL THAT YOU ARE INDEED READY TO HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING ON IT.
AND IF WE HAVE NOTIFIED WHICH STAFF TELLS ME THEY HAVE THE COMPLAINANT OF THE BOOK IN QUESTION OF THE HEARING BEING SCHEDULED, AND THAT THE HEARING IS TODAY, AND IF THE COMMITTEE FEELS THEY'RE READY TO MAKE A DECISION, I BELIEVE THAT THERE IS, UM, ENOUGH ROOM WITHIN THE POLICY FOR THE COMMITTEE TO MAKE A DECISION TO GO AHEAD AND PROCEED WITH THE PUBLIC HEARING TONIGHT.
IF, HOWEVER, YOU WOULD LIKE TO HAVE, BASED ON WHAT EVERYONE SAYS HERE, YOU WANT ADDITIONAL TIME, YOU ARE ALWAYS FREE TO POSTPONE THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR ANOTHER DATE IF YOU WANT TO GET ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
BUT AS I SAID, THERE'S UM, THERE'S ANY SORT OF AMBIGUITY, UM, YOU CAN KIND OF RESOLVE IT IN THE FAVOR OF THE COMMITTEE.
IN THIS CASE, I BELIEVE YOU ARE EMPOWERED BECAUSE THAT TIMEFRAME IS FOR YOUR BENEFIT, NOT NECESSARILY FOR THE BENEFIT OF ANYONE ELSE.
THIS IS ABOUT THE SILLIEST MEETING THAT I'VE EVER ATTENDED.
I, I MEAN, ANYBODY THAT HAS A PROBLEM WITH THIS NICE LITTLE CHILDREN'S BOOK, WHICH IS REALLY A BEDTIME STORY ABOUT MAKING KIDS FEEL GOOD ABOUT THEMSELVES, NO MATTER HOW SMALL THEY ARE, IT'S JUST A LITTLE SILLY.
I HAVE TO WONDER WHO'S PROTECTION THEY'RE LOOKING OUT FOR.
I MEAN, THERE'S NOWHERE IN THE BOOK DOESN'T MENTION DRAG QUEEN.
NOWHERE DOES IT MENTION DRAG AT ALL? I SAY THE QUEENS, RIGHT? NOWHERE DOES IT MENTION K? NO.
WHERE DOES IT MENTION L-G-B-T-Q? NOWHERE DOES IT MENTION TRANS.
IT'S THE KIND OF BOOK THAT I WANNA READ TO A LITTLE KID AT NIGHT AS THEY GO TO SLEEP TO MAKE THEM FEEL BETTER.
ESPECIALLY IF THEY'RE FEELING SMALL.
IT'S ABOUT A MAGIC WIG FOR CRYING OUT LOUD.
WHY? WHY DO WE HAVE TO QUIBBLE ABOUT OH, MAGIC WIG? HOW WILL WE GOT BETTER THINGS TO DO WITH OUR TIME? I'M SURE WE ALL DO.
UH, I'M WONDERING WHY SOMEBODY WOULD PROTEST THIS BOOK.
I'M WONDERING WHAT, WHAT'S, WHAT IS IT YOU KNOW ABOUT THEM? THEY THINK IT'S GONNA TURN THEIR KIDS TRANS OR INTO DRAG QUEENS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
YOU KNOW, I USED TO WATCH A, A TWO CAN SELLING, YOU KNOW, FRUIT LOOPS AND, BUT IT CERTAIN DIDN'T TURN ME INTO A BIRD OR EVEN A SUGAR ADDICT, YOU KNOW, IT IS LIKE, UH, THESE, THESE ARE KIDS BOOKS.
IT'S THE PEOPLE THAT WANNA KEEP THIS FROM LITTLE KIDS ARE THE ONES THAT DISTURB ME THE MOST.
SOMETHING SO INNOCENT, SOMETHING SO KIND, SOMETHING SO TOLERANT AS A MAC WIG THAT MAKES KIDS FEEL BETTER ABOUT WHO THEY ARE.
MAKE THEM BREATHE A LITTLE BETTER, MAKE THEM STAND A LITTLE TALLER.
AND ALWAYS TURN THEM INTO DRAG QUEENS SOMETIMES.
AND THE BUCK TRANSL 'EM INTO SUPERHEROES, YOU KNOW, AND IT MAKES 'EM, IT MAKES 'EM BIGGER.
OR PRINCE, YOU KNOW, MAKES 'EM BIGGER.
IT MAKES 'EM PROUDER ABOUT THEMSELVES.
THIS IS AN AFFIRMING BOOK, NOT THE KIND OF BOOK THAT SHOULD BE CHALLENGED.
IT'S THE KIND OF BOOK THAT WE SHOULD CELEBRATE.
IT'S THE KIND OF BOOK THAT WE NEED.
A DRAG QUEEN STORY, HOWARD, YOU KNOW, IF WE HAD ONE, IF WE ONLY HAD THE COURAGE TO HAVE ONE.
'CAUSE KIDS LIKE DRESS UP, KIDS LIKE PLAY.
[00:10:01]
KIDS, NOT ABOUT INTOLERANT ADULTS.I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK AFTER YOUR DISCUSSION, IF THAT'S OKAY.
'CAUSE I'D LIKE TO LISTEN TO WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY AND THEN ADDRESS THE POINTS.
IF, IF THAT'S CORRECT, BE HAPPY TO DO SO.
HELLO, MY NAME IS ELOISA PEREZ LOZANO.
UM, I LIVE ON SWAN MEADOW COURT, IF THAT'S AT ALL RELEVANT.
UH, I'M, I GET NERVOUS PUBLIC SPEAKING, SO I DO HAVE SOMETHING ON MY PHONE, BUT I DO HAVE SOME REMARKS.
NOTHING IN THIS BOOK EVEN REMOTELY SUGGESTS SEX OF ANY KIND OR ANY SEXUAL ACTS TAKING PLACE BETWEEN THE CHARACTERS.
THERE ARE NO BREASTS, VULVAS, PENISES, OR ANUSES SHOWN ON ANY OF ITS PAGES.
AND FOR THOSE WHO FIND THESE TERMS OFFENSIVE, I WON'T APOLOGIZE BECAUSE THEY'RE THE CORRECT AND ACCURATE MEDICAL AND ANATOMICAL TERMS. THERE IS NO URINATING OR ANY OTHER KIND OF EXCRETION OF ANY KIND.
THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING HARMFUL, OBSCENE, OR SEXUALLY EXPLICIT IN THIS BOOK.
I BELIEVE THAT THE AVERAGE PERSON WOULD AGREE, WHICH IS WHY IT LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THAT THE PERSON WHO SUBMITTED THIS CHALLENGE IS A MEMBER OF A SMALL BUT OVERLY VOCAL MINORITY.
IF PEOPLE DON'T LIKE THIS BOOK, THEY ARE ENTITLED TO THEIR OPINION AND THEIR RIGHT NOT TO CHECK THE BOOK OUT OF THE LIBRARY.
THEY ARE NOT ENTITLED TO HAVE A SAY IN HOW OTHER PARENTS DECIDE WHAT BOOKS THEIR CHILDREN ARE OR ARE NOT ALLOWED TO READ.
DO NOT CALL A BOOK OBSCENE, PORNOGRAPHIC, OR SEXUALLY EXPLICIT JUST BECAUSE YOU WOULDN'T READ IT TO YOUR CHILDREN.
WHAT IT DOES SHOW IS AN IMAGINATION WITHOUT LIMITS.
CHILDREN DRESSING UP IN COSTUMES AND USING WIGS IS SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN, BEEN PROVEN TO BE DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE AND BENEFICIAL FOR CHILDREN'S UNDERSTANDING OF THEMSELVES AND THEIR SELF-EXPRESSION.
I SUGGEST THAT THE SUBMITTER OF THIS CHALLENGE, PLEASE DO EVIDENCE-BASED RESEARCH AND GET EDUCATED BEFORE WASTING EVERYONE'S TIME.
I JUST WANTED TO COME OUT AND FIRST SAY YOU WHAT? I THOUGHT I RECOGNIZED YOU.
I'M GLAD WE HAVEN'T HAD A MEETING IN A WHILE.
FIRST, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY I DID LOOK AT THE NEW BOOK FORM THAT WE ALL HAVE TO SUBMIT, AND I DO APPRECIATE THAT THE DEFINITION OF OBSCENITY AND THE OTHER DEFINITIONS ARE ON THERE.
I DO FEEL THAT THE PERSON WHO SUBMITTED THEIR RECONSIDERATION DID NOT BOTHER TO LOOK AT THOSE DEFINITIONS BECAUSE IF SHE OR HE HAD LOOKED AT THOSE DEFINITIONS, THEY WOULD'VE SEEN THAT THIS BOOK DOES NOT MEET THOSE REQUIREMENTS.
I READ THROUGH IT, I SAW THE MENTION OF QUEEN.
THEY DID NOT PAIR THE WORD QUEEN WITH DRAG.
UM, YES, THERE'S A LITTLE BOY IN A DRESS AT FIRST, BUT WHAT CHILD HAS NOT DRESSED UP AS SOMETHING THAT THEY FIND TO BE ABSOLUTELY FUN TO THEM? RIGHT? WE ALL HAVE DRESSED UP IN DIFFERENT WAYS.
WE ALL HAVE CHANGED AND EVOLVED IN HOW WE DO DRESS UP.
SO I THINK THAT IT'S NOT FAIR TO NEATLY LABEL THIS AS SEXUALLY EXPLICIT OR OBSCENE IN MEETING THOSE TERMS. UM, AS EVE POINTS OUT IN OTHERS, THEY JUMP, THE WIG JUMPS FROM PERSON TO PERSON.
THE WIG DOES NOT EVEN HAVE A NAME.
AND THAT WIG LETS THEM BE IMAGINATIVE.
WHAT CHILD HAVE YOU MET IS NOT IMAGINATIVE? WHY CAN'T WE NOT CELEBRATE THAT? IF YOU DON'T LIKE THAT A BOY IS IN ADDRESS, USE THAT AS A TEACHING OPPORTUNITY.
I FEEL LIKE WE NEED TO TAKE MORE RESPONSIBILITY AND INITIATIVE AS PARENTS AND CAREGIVERS, AND WE NEED TO TAKE THOSE MOMENTS TO HAVE TEACHING OPPORTUNITIES.
SO IF YOUR CHILD IS UPSET BECAUSE THERE'S A BOY IN A DRESS, TALK TO 'EM ABOUT THAT.
SAY OUR FAMILY DOESN'T DO THAT, BUT OTHER FAMILIES MIGHT.
AND THEN YOU KEEP READING THAT BOOK AND YOU'RE GONNA SEE IT'S NOT ALL BASED ON WHAT THEIR GENDER IS OR WHAT THEIR GENDER IS NOT.
I FEEL LIKE WE NEED TO KEEP PUTTING THE RESPONSIBILITY BACK ON PARENTS AND CAREGIVERS.
IT SHOULD NOT BE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE CITY TO KEEP MAKING THESE DETERMINATIONS.
I HOPE TONIGHT THAT WE DO VOTE NOT TO MOVE THIS BOOK BECAUSE I DON'T SEE ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT.
AND SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
[4. PUBLIC HEARING REGARDING REQUEST FOR RECONSIDERATION FILED JUNE 26, 2024 REGARDING “BIG WIG” BY JONATHAN HILLMAN]
WHICH IS THE PUBLIC HEARING REGARDING THEIR REQUEST FOR RECONSIDERATION FILED ON JUNE 26TH, 2024, REGARDING BIGWIG BY JONATHAN HILLMAN.AND I'LL OPEN IT FOR DISCUSSION.
DO YOU WANT GO FIRST? IT DOESN'T MATTER.
SO I'M LUANN SHEP, PART OF THE COMMITTEE HERE.
UM, WHEN I READ THROUGH BIG WIG, I HAD SEVERAL THINGS THAT I KIND OF JOTTED DOWN
[00:15:01]
TO DISCUSS.UM, IT'S A YOUNG BOY USES A WIG TO DRESS AS A GIRL, SHOWS HIM GROWING UP WHEN HE WEARS THE WIG AND PEOPLE CLAPPING FOR APPROVAL OF IT.
UM, I DID, I DID FEEL LIKE AFTER I READ THE BOOK THAT THERE ARE SO MESSAGES IN IT THAT ARE UNDERLYING, THAT ARE TRYING TO GET ACROSS WITHOUT SAYING IT.
AND ONE OF THEM THAT REALLY JUMPED OUT AT ME WAS THE NEGATIVE SPACE THAT MAKES THE BUNNY SHAPE.
SO I WENT HOME AND GOOGLED WHAT BUNNY SHAPE IS RELATED TO THE LGBT COMMUNITY.
AND IT IS A RABBIT GOD THAT I DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT, BUT THAT'S, TO ME, THAT IS THE SUBTLE IMAGES THAT THEY'RE GIVING.
THAT'S THE SUBTLE MESSAGES THAT THEY'RE GIVING.
SO IT DOESN'T SAY DRAG QUEEN, IT DOESN'T SAY STUFF LIKE THAT, BUT IT DOES HAVE SUBTLE THINGS THAT IT'S GIVING TO MAKE A PERSON FEEL THAT WAY.
AND WHEN THE, WHEN THE WIG FLIES AWAY AND LANDS ON A BOY, CREATING HIM TO BECOME A DRAG QUEEN, QUEEN, THIS IS A TYPE OF INVOLVING OTHER KIDS TO WANT TO BECOME THAT WAY.
AND I KNOW PEOPLE READ THAT WHEN THEY READ IT, THEY SEE IT.
UM, SO THE EMBEDDED MESSAGES THAT ARE THERE THAT ARE NOT SPOKEN, MAKING CHILDREN THINK THAT EVERYONE THINKS THIS WAY AND IT IS ALMOST A RECRUITING THING.
UM, SO THAT TO ME IS, IS INAPPROPRIATE FOR THIS LEVEL OF CHILDREN.
YOU, YOU CAN'T, WHATEVER YOU GIVE TO A CHILD AND PUT IT IN FRONT OF THEM OVER AND OVER, THEY'RE GONNA LEARN IT THAT WAY.
AND I, I DON'T FEEL THAT IT'S, THE MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE ARE COMFORTABLE WITH THAT.
AND ANOTHER WAY I LOOKED AT IT IS, I, I HEAR WHAT Y'ALL ARE SAYING THAT, YOU KNOW, I WISH THAT THEY HAD BOOKS LIKE THIS WHEN YOU WERE LOOKING FOR BOOKS LIKE THIS TO GO TO THE LIBRARY, BUT THEY HAD NOTHING.
HERE'S ONE PERSON WANTING TO HAVE THAT BOOK AND IT WILL HELP THEM, BUT THERE ARE 15 OTHERS OVER HERE THAT IT MIGHT CONFUSE.
SO THAT'S MY POINT IN THAT IT'S GOT SUBTLE MESSAGES IN IT AND IT'S VERY CONFUSING FOR THE, FOR THE YOUNG KIDS, 11 AND UNDER.
SO I DO NOT AGREE WITH HAVING IT, AND I DON'T THINK BANNING IT IS THE, THE ISSUE.
I THINK IT SHOULD BE THERE FOR THOSE THAT NEED TO READ IT AND FEEL THAT THEY HAVE THAT CONNECTION.
BUT I FEEL IT NEEDS TO BE PUT IN A DIFFERENT SPOT AND NOT OUT FOR EVERYONE, FOR ALL THE KIDS TO PULL AND READ.
UH, MY NAME IS LAURA TEITSWORTH.
AND WHEN I FIRST, WHEN I FIRST LOOKED AT THIS, UM, PETITION, THE FIRST THING I NOTICED IS THAT THE COMPLAINT IS ABOUT, UH, THIS BOOK BEING HARMFUL.
THIS BOOK BEING OBSCENE, AND THE COMPLAINT ABOUT THIS BOOK BEING SEXUALLY EXPLICIT.
UM, I AGREE WITH ONE OF, UM, OUR, UM, AUDIENCE MEMBERS THAT THERE IS NOTHING IN THIS BOOK THAT IS SEXUALLY EXPLICIT.
THERE IS NO BODY PARTS, NO BODY PART MENTIONED.
UM, AND THERE IS NO ACT OR ACTION, UM, THAT WOULD MAKE YOU FEEL THAT THIS BOOK IS SEXUALLY EXPLICIT.
THE COMPLAINT THAT THE BOOK IS OBSCENE, I DON'T SEE ANY BAD WORDS.
THERE WAS NOTHING THERE THAT WAS VULGAR, UM, OR WOULD MAKE A CHILD FEEL LIKE IT IS VULGAR OR OBSCENE, DOESN'T FIT THE DEFINITION OF EXCESS SEXUALLY EXPLICIT OR OBSCENE HARMFUL.
THAT WAS THE THE OTHER THING THAT THE, UH, PERSON COMPLAINED ABOUT.
IS THIS BOOK HARMFUL AND HARMFUL? IN WHICH WAY? I, I CAN'T, UM, I CAN'T SUBSTANTIATE THIS BOOK BEING HARMFUL.
UH, I, I'VE READ THIS BOOK BACKWARDS AND FORWARDS AND FORWARDS AND BACKWARDS, AND IF THERE WAS A BUNNY PICTURE, BOY, I SURE MISSED IT.
UH, AND, AND SOMEONE WILL HAVE TO COME AND SOMEONE WILL HAVE TO COME AND POINT IT OUT TO ME BECAUSE I, I CLEARLY DIDN'T SEE IT.
UM, IT DOESN'T HAVE THE THREE BS, THE BOOBS, THE BUTTS, AND THE BAD BEHAVIOR.
IT DOESN'T HAVE ANY CURSING WORDS.
UM, THE BOOK IS REFERRING TO THE WIG AS AN IT, AND IT IS TECHNICALLY A COSTUME CONTEST.
THEY SAY THE WORD BALL, THEY SAY THE WORD PAGEANT, UM, AND THEY DON'T SAY THE WORD DRAG.
AND AS THE WIG JUMPS FROM ONE PERSON TO THE OTHER, THE MESSAGE IS PRETTY CLEAR
[00:20:01]
THAT WHEN THE WIG SITS ON TOP OF YOUR HEAD, YOU BASICALLY TURN IN TO WHAT THEY WANT IT TO BE.SO THE WIG FALLS ON TOP OF A PERSON'S HEAD AND HE BECOMES A SUPERHERO.
SHE BECOMES A PRINCESS OR WHATEVER.
THE MATTER OF FACT IS, AS A SCHOOL TEACHER, IT MAKES ME REFLECT ABOUT A STUDENT I HAD JUST A FEW YEARS AGO WHO HAD TERRIBLE ALOPECIA AND WAS BALD AND CAME TO SCHOOL.
AND THIS WIG THAT SHE WORE WAS AMAZING, HOT PINK AND SPARKLES BECAUSE IT MADE HER FEEL LIKE A SPECIAL PERSON WHEN EVERYBODY ELSE BULLIED HER AND MADE FUN OF HER FOR A CONDITION SHE COULDN'T HELP.
AND THIS BOOK MAKES ME THINK OF HER AND HOW IT COULD HAVE HELPED HER EVEN IN THE FIFTH GRADE.
IT MAKES ME REFLECT OF MY OWN MOTHER WHO LOST HER HAIR IN GLOBS AND HOW A WIG MADE HER FEEL WHOLE AGAIN.
I DON'T FEEL THAT THIS BOOK IS HARMFUL.
THE SUPREME COURT RULED THAT YOU CANNOT DISCRIMINATE BASED ON CLOTHING BEING EITHER ACCEPTABLE FOR EITHER GENDER OR ANY GENDER.
I BELIEVE SOMEBODY IN THE AUDIENCE MENTIONED THAT MEN USED TO WEAR WIGS AND IT WAS ACTUALLY A STATUS SYMBOL AT ONE POINT AS WELL.
THEY WORE THE BIG WHITE CURLY WIGS AND THEY ALSO WORE THEM BECAUSE WOMEN WEREN'T IN PLACE AND, AND STUFF.
I DON'T FIND THIS BOOK OBJECTIONABLE.
I DON'T FIND THIS BOOK SEXUALLY EXPLICIT.
I DON'T FIND THIS BOOK OFFENSIVE.
I DON'T FIND THIS BOOK OBSCENE OR HARMFUL.
SHOW ME THE BUNNY HERE WHILE YOU LOOK FOR THAT.
I'LL, UH, MOVE TO THE ACTION ITEM ON THIS AND THEN WE CAN KIND OF CONTINUE THE DISCUSSION FROM THERE, IF THAT'S OKAY WITH EVERYBODY.
SEE, THAT LOOKS LIKE JESSICA T FROM ROGER BRACKET.
WE'LL CLOSE THIS PUBLIC HEARING AT 5 57 AND
[5. CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON REQUEST FOR RECONSIDERATION FILED JUNE 26, 2024 REGARDING “BIG WIG” BY JONATHAN HILLMAN]
MOVE ON TO ITEM FIVE, WHICH IS CONSIDER AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON REQUEST FOR RECONSIDERATION FILED ON JUNE 26TH REGARDING BIGWIG BY JONATHAN HILLMAN.CAN WE HOLD IT UP AND SHOW IT TO THE AUDIENCE SO WE ALL SEE THE BUNNY? MICHELLE, WHILE WE'RE WAITING, CAN YOU GO OVER WHAT THE OPTIONS WOULD BE, BUNNY, WHERE THAT IS A, THAT'S A BLOB.
IT'S THE, THAT I THAT UP BUDDY.
WAIT, WHAT'S OTHER ONE PIECE?
NO, BUT SHE'S, SHE'S SAYING IT'S INAPPROPRIATE.
SO THE INAPPROPRIATENESS OF THE SUBTLE MESSAGES HERE IS WHAT I'M SAYING, THE SUBTLE MESSAGES TO, TO GET PEOPLE TO YES.
I WAS THE MESSAGES IS WHAT I, THE PERSON WHO WROTE THIS COMPLAINT DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING ABOUT SUBTLE MESSAGES.
I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
IT SAYS, I FIRMLY BELIEVE THIS MATERIAL IS HIGHLY INAPPROPRIATE FOR CHILDREN.
BECAUSE IT CELEBRATES CHILDREN PARTICIPATING IN DRAG SHOWS AND A CONCEPT THAT IN MY OPINION, IS NOT SUITABLE FOR READERS.
UM, THIS BOOK IS NOT ABOUT DRAG SHOWS.
IT'S ABOUT PAGEANTS BALLS AND COSTUME CONTENTS.
WHERE IS THE DRAG SHOW? IS THERE A PAGE ON THERE THAT SHOWS THE DRAG SHOW PORT? I SAW A PICTURE.
[00:25:01]
A PLACE WHERE FAMILIES CAN CONFIDENTLY IN READING THE PETITION CONFIDENTLY ALLOW THEIR CHILDREN TO EXPLORE BOOKS THAT ARE BOTH EDUCATIONAL AND AGE APPROPRIATE.THEMES PRESENTED IN BIGWIG ARE COMPLEX AND CONTROVERSIAL AND SHOULD NOT BE INTRODUCED TO CHILDREN WHO ARE NOT YET CAPABLE OF SUCH ADULT ORIENTED CONTENT.
BUT, UM, I THINK THIS IS A PLACE DRE, UH, MICHELLE, WHERE WE COULD MAYBE REFLECT BACK AGAIN TO, UM, OUR PROCESS WHERE THEY, UM, MUST BE, MUST EXPLAIN MORE AS TO WHY THEY THINK THIS BOOK IS SEXUALLY EXPLICIT.
WHY THEY THINK THIS BOOK IS OBSCENE.
UM, BECAUSE THEY REALLY DIDN'T GIVE OUR COMMITTEE ENOUGH TO GO ON.
I, I'M, I'M NOT THAT WELL VERSED IN FINDING BUNNY EARS IN THE CHILDREN'S BOOK AND THINKING THAT THAT IS SEXUALLY ORIENTED MATERIAL.
I MEAN, ALL YOU HAD TO DO WAS, I MEAN, I READ A COUPLE OF INTERVIEWS BY THE AUTHOR, IT WAS PRETTY CLEAR WITH STATEMENTS THAT HE WAS MAKING ABOUT NOT ONLY THE AGE GROUP, WHICH WAS LIKE THE FIVE TO 8-YEAR-OLD RANGE THAT HE WAS TARGETING WITH THE BOOK.
BUT THAT HE WAS TRYING TO GO TOWARDS THE SEXUALITY, NOT SEXUAL PRACTICES, BUT THE UNDERLYING MESSAGE, THE PERSONS SEXUALITY AND MY OPINION.
I THINK THAT'S WHAT THE PERSON THAT IS DOING THE REQUEST FOR REVIEW IS SAYING THAT IT'S INAPPROPRIATE FOR HIS AGE BASED ON WHAT THE, WHAT THE PERSON WROTE.
I THOUGHT THAT WAS PRETTY CLEAR BASED ON WHAT THE PERSON WROTE.
THIS BOOK IS NOT SEXUALLY EXPLICIT.
THIS BOOK IS NOT SEXUALLY EXPLICIT.
IT'S NOT SHOWING BOOBS BUTTS BAD BEHAVIOR.
IT'S, BUT IT'S, I'LL LEAVE THAT PART ALONE.
IT WILL GET TO THE FACT THAT ONCE YOU GET ACCEPTED INTO THIS, THEN IT WILL, I MEAN IT'S GOING DOWN THAT ROUTE AND IT, IT, TO ME, IT'S INAPPROPRIATE FOR THIS AGE TO HAVE THINGS IN HERE THAT ARE VERY SUBTLE THAT THEY'LL QUESTION ABOUT AND WANT TO KNOW AND DIG DEEPER TO KNOW ABOUT.
WHEN IF THEY DON'T READ IT, THEN THEY'RE NOT GONNA IT.
BUT JUST FINDING THAT AND GOOGLING AND, AND FIGURING OUT WHAT THE SUBTLE MESSAGES WERE IN HERE IS, IS VERY DISTURBING TO ME.
AND THAT IT WOULD BE THE, I'M NOT UP FOR REMOVING IT 'CAUSE IT LOOKS LIKE I'M GONNA HAVE TO MAKE THE TIE BREAKING VOTE TONIGHT.
I, I WOULD SAY, LIKE I SAID, I DON'T LIKE REMOVING THEM EITHER, BUT I DO THINK IT SHOULD BE THE KIND OF THING THAT A PARENT HAS TO COME TO THE LIBRARY AND ASK FOR.
AND DID WE HAVE A SECTION NOW THAT WE HAVE BEHIND THE CHECKOUT THAT IS A SHELF FOR THEM? IT'S NOT BEHIND THE CHECKOUT.
THERE IS A SHELVING UNIT THAT IS NEXT TO THE CHILDREN'S REFERENCE DESK AND IT'S, THAT IS A PARENTING COLLECTION.
AND IT'S RIGHT ON THE CORNER WHERE ALL AT KID LEVEL WHERE ALL KIDS CAN GET TO IT.
AND I WAS THINKING THAT IF WE MOVED IT TO THAT OTHER SECTION ON THE OPEN SHELF TO THE OTHER SECTION WHERE KIDS AREN'T RUNNING BY IT CONSTANTLY ON THE CORNER, THAT IT COULD BE SHELVED THERE.
UM, I MEAN WE CAN, WE CAN LOOK AT OPTIONS FOR THE SHELVING UNIT.
WE HAD MOVED IT AWAY FROM THE OTHER PART OF THE COLLECTION BECAUSE THERE WERE CONCERNS ABOUT IT BEING TOO CLOSE TO THE TODDLER PLAY AREA.
UM, WE MOVED IT CLOSER TO THE, UH, CHILDREN'S REFERENCE DESK BECAUSE THAT IS A MONITORED AREA.
UM, GRANTED THERE ARE KIDS THAT RUN PAST IT, BUT IT IS CLOSER TO THE MATERIALS FOR OLDER CHILDREN.
IS IT STILL ALONG THAT SAME WALL OR IS IT IT'S ALONG THE SAME WALL.
IT'S A PUBLIC ACCESS COLLECTION.
SO IT'S IN A PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE SECTION.
THOSE MATERIALS ARE ONLY ELIGIBLE TO CHECK OUT BY ADULTS.
AND THE MAJORITY OF THE MATERIALS THAT ARE IN THAT SECTION ARE, UM, LIKE BIG BOOKS ON POTTY TRAINING AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
SO THERE AREN'T AS MANY OF THESE, UM, THAT ARE IN THAT KIND OF COLLECTION RIGHT NOW.
BUT IT TO, FOR A CHILD TO WALK BY IT AND SEE THE COLOR AND THINK, OH, WHAT A PRETTY BOOK.
MOST OF THE, MOST OF THE, UM, MOST OF THEM YOU WOULD ONLY SEE THE SPINE BECAUSE WE DON'T REALLY DISPLAY ITEMS IN THE PARENTING COLLECTION.
MOST OF THE PARENTS WHO ARE GOING TO THE COLLECTION ARE GOING THERE FOR A SPECIFIC INFORMATION NEED.
SO WE DON'T REALLY HAVE A DISPLAY THE CHILDREN COMING BY THAT THE PARENTS LET THEIR KIDS ROAM AND FIND BOOKS THEY LIKE.
[00:30:02]
IF PARENTS ALLOW YEAH.IF PARENTS ALLOW THEIR CHILDREN TO BE UNMONITORED IN THE CHILDREN'S SECTION, THEN THEY COULD POTENTIALLY, UM, ACCESS THE MATERIAL.
THAT'S WHAT I USED TO DO WITH MY KIDS.
THEY'D GO TO THE KIDS SECTION AND I WENT TO THE ADULT SECTION.
SO WE'VE HAD THIS, WE'RE RUNNING INTO ALL THESE PROBLEMS. WE'VE HAD THIS BOOK FOR TWO YEARS AND IT'S BEEN CHECKED OUT 14 TIMES WITH NO COMPLAINTS.
NONE THAT HAVE, UM, VERBALIZED.
AND I THINK ONE TIME THERE MIGHT BE SOME PEOPLE WHO, WHO LOOK AT THE, THE, THE HIGHLY PUBLICIZED PIZZA HUT CONTROVERSY AND THE PEOPLE WHO GO TO YOUTUBE TO WATCH THE READ ALOUD OF THESE BOOKS.
UM, HE DOES NOT READ THE BOOK ACTUALLY.
HE JUST SHOWCASES THE BOOK AND IT'S A DRAG QUEEN.
THAT YOUTUBE COMMERCIAL IS CONFUSING.
THERE'S NO DRAG SHOW IN THIS BOOK.
UM, I DON'T FIND THIS BOOK TO BE OBJECTIONABLE.
NOT IN THE SENSE OF HOW THE PETITIONER HAS ASKED FOR NOT, IT'S NOT SEXUALLY EXPLICIT, IT'S NOT OBSCENE AND I DON'T FIND IT HARMFUL.
I DON'T FIND A SECOND GRADER KINDERGARTNER TO GO ONTO THE INTERNET AND LOOK UP WHAT BUNNY EARS REPRESENT.
ARE YOU? IT'S JUST A HOOK, BUT, OKAY.
SO IN MY OPINION, I FIND IT INAPPROPRIATE BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT IT HAS UNDERLYING MESSAGES AND SUBTLE THINGS THAT ARE GIVING OFF THE WRONG IDEAS TO THESE KIDS.
I, I AGREE WITH THE LADY THAT IS TRYING TO GET THIS LOOKED AT BECAUSE WE DO NEED TO LOOK AT THESE THINGS.
WE DO NEED TO HAVE A SECTION WHERE THESE CAN BE, BUT NOT, NOT FOR THE KIDS TO PULL OFF THE SHELF AND TAKE AND LOOK AND GET INTERESTED AND ASK QUESTIONS LIKE THIS TO TURN THEM ONTO WHATEVER THE BOOK IS TRYING TO SAY.
WE HAVEN'T MADE A MOTION YET, BUT I AGREE WITH THAT.
I THINK IT SHOULD BE SOMETHING THAT A PARENT HAS TO COME IN.
AND SP SPECIFICALLY GET, WELL, LITTLE RED WRITING HOOD WAS SUPPOSEDLY SUPPOSED TO BE BANNED BECAUSE LITTLE RED WRITING HOOD HAD A
I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT BANNING THE BOOK.
I, I DON'T FIND THIS BOOK TO BE OBJECTIONABLE, NOT ACCORDING TO THE, THE COMPLAINT.
I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE MOVE THE BOOK TO A SPOT WHERE IT'S PARENT ONLY CHECKOUT.
I WOULD SECOND ANY MORE DISCUSSION.
NO MOVE TO IT'S, IT'S WONKY, BUT IT, THE RESULT IS THE SAME.
THE MOTION TO MOVE IT TO WHERE A PARENT WOULD HAVE TO SPECIFICALLY MM-HMM.
CAN YOU PASS TWO TO ONE CLARIFY WHAT THIS SECTION IS AGAIN? SO I WAS GONNA KIND OF ASK, UM, RIGHT NOW WE HAVE THAT PARENTING SECTION AND BECAUSE MOST OF THE MATERIALS THAT ARE IN THAT PARENTING SECTION, LIKE I SAID, ARE FOR ADULT, ADULT READERS.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE READING, I MEAN, I'VE CHECKED OUT BOOKS ABOUT POTTY TRAINING IN THAT SECTION.
UM, I FEEL LIKE IT'S A GOOD PLACE TO HAVE THEM IN THE LIBRARY BECAUSE WE WANT TO ENCOURAGE PARENTS TO BE WITH THEIR KIDS AND I WOULD RATHER THEM BE IN THAT SECTION GETTING THOSE PARENTING MATERIALS THAN BE ALL THE WAY UPSTAIRS IN NONFICTION AND HAVING THEIR KIDS UNATTENDED.
AND WE GOT GRANT TO KIND OF HAVE THOSE MATERIALS IN THAT SECTION.
SO, UM, ARE THEY ON A HIGHER SHELF? THEY ARE ON A SHELVING UNIT THAT IS RIGHT NEXT TO THE CHILDREN'S REFERENCE DESK.
SO I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S SOME CONCERNS ABOUT THE PLACEMENT OF THAT SHELF.
UM, THAT'S THE SHELVING UNIT THAT WE, I HAD DISCUSSED WITH, UM, WITH MY DIRECTOR.
BUT THERE ARE SOME OTHER SECTIONS IN THE LIBRARY THAT ALSO HAVE RESTRICTIONS ON CHECKOUT.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE TEEN COLLECTION IS ONLY AVAILABLE FOR, YOU KNOW, KIDS OVER THE AGE OF 12 OR THE ADULT COLLECTION UPSTAIRS.
UM, OR EVEN IN THE FICTION COLLECTION IS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BUILDING.
UM, SO I GUESS PART OF IT IS JUST WANTING TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT I'M FOLLOWING THE, THE DIRECTION THAT YOU GUYS WOULD PREFER.
[00:35:01]
KNOW, I DON'T KNOW WHAT OUR, MY PREFERENCE WOULD BE FOR IT TO BE ON A HIGHER SHELF OR TO GET A UNIT THAT'S GOT SOME GLASS DOORS OR SOMETHING.WELL, I TOO WOULD AGREE AND TAKE IT.
AND, AND THAT'S ALL I REALLY SAY.
WE HAVE A HIGH LEVEL, UM, WE, BECAUSE THE REST OF THE BOOKS IN THE PARENTING COLLECTION ARE ADULT NONFICTION BASED ON OUR SHELVING RULES, THIS WOULD BE ON THE TOP SHELF WITH THE OTHER THING.
SO IT WOULDN'T BE, THEY COME UP TO ABOUT MY CHEST.
SO IT'D BE LIKE MY CHEST HEIGHT, BUT THERE'S STILL KIDS WHO WOULD BE RIGHT.
SO IF THAT'S NOT, THEN WE MIGHT NEED TO FIND ANOTHER SHELVING SOLUTION.
I WOULD, IT WOULD BE MY PREFERENCE.
UM, BECAUSE AS A PUBLIC ACCESS COLLECTION, WE DON'T, WE DON'T HAVE OTHER MATERIALS UNDER LOCK AND KEY.
AND, AND PREFERABLY, I DON'T THINK IT NEEDS TO BE, JUST PUT IT IN A SIX FOOT UNIT ON, ON THE TOP TWO SHELVES.
YEAH, WE HAVE, WE DON'T REALLY HAVE THAT MANY TALL UNITS ANYMORE.
SO, BUT WE CAN LOOK AT OUR OPTIONS.
WOULDN'T IT JUST BE EASIER TO PUT A SIMPLE DISCLAIMER ON THIS BOOK? OH, UM, THAT STILL DOESN'T STOP THE FACT THAT THEY PULLED IT, START ASKING QUESTIONS.
WOULDN'T IT BE JUST EASIER FOR THE PA BECAUSE THEN THE PARENT WOULD HAVE TO BE PULLED ASIDE AT THE CHECKOUT? WE COULD, SO THE OTHER OPTION WOULD BE THAT WE COULD POTENTIALLY PUT IT IN.
SO THE PARENTING COLLECTION IS VERY SMALL AND THE OTHER TALL SHELVING UNITS AND THE CHILDREN'S COLLECTION ARE VERY SMALL.
SO A PICTURE BOOK I THINK MIGHT KIND OF STICK OUT ACTUALLY IN A COLLECTION OF PARENTING MATERIALS.
'CAUSE THEY'RE ALL ADULT NONFICTION TITLES EXCEPT FOR A COUPLE THAT ARE ADULT DIRECTED.
YOU KNOW, UM, IN THE PICTURE BOOK COLLECTION, IT'S ONE OF, IT'S ONE OF OVER 13,000 TITLES.
IF YOU WOULD PREFER THAT WE DO SOMETHING LIKE LABELING, THEN WE WOULD PROBABLY NEED TO HAVE A MUCH LARGER CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT LABELS WOULD LOOK LIKE AND HOW WE WOULD DETERMINE THAT.
I, I DON'T DON'T THINK THAT'S NECESSARILY REQUIRED JUST A HIGHER SHELF.
SO A HIGHER SHELF DOESN'T PREVENT A KID FROM CHECKING OUT THE BOOK A HIGHER SHELF.
IF WE HAVE IT IN THE PARENTING COLLECTION, A HIGHER SHELF IN THE PARENTING COLLECTION IS RESTRICTED TO ADULT CARDS ONLY.
THOSE ARE RESTRICTED TO ADULT CARDS.
WELL, UNLESS YOU JUST WANT IT TO BE ON A HIGHER SHELF AND THEN IT WOULD BE ON A HIGHER SHELF IN THE CHILDREN'S DEPARTMENT, BUT IT WOULDN'T NECESSARILY HAVE AN ADULT RESTRICTION ON IT.
I'VE NEVER SEEN YOU LOOK LIKE THAT BEFORE.
WHAT DOES THIS LOOK LIKE? I DON'T, I'M SORRY.
AM I UNAWARE? AWARE? I'M NOT REALLY SURE WHAT THE EXPRESSION WE CAN TALK AFTER.
UM, MS. SAILOR, PEGGY SAYLOR 1802 RAMPART, I'M SO GLAD I WAITED TO SPEAK LATER.
I AM SO DISAPPOINTED AND FOR, FOR MANY, MANY REASONS.
WE HAVE PROFESSIONALS WHO WENT TO SCHOOL WHO ARE CREDENTIALED IN WHAT MATERIAL IS APPROPRIATE IN A PUBLIC LIBRARY.
THE THOUGHT THAT, AND I'LL SAY WE NOT YOU, WE COLLECTIVELY REALLY BELIEVE, I MEAN, WE, WE, WE ARE HAVING A DISCUSSION ABOUT HOW A FIVE OR 8-YEAR-OLD CHILD COULD SIMPLY LOOK AT A BOOK AND ALL OF A SUDDEN BE TEMPTED TO RE-IDENTIFY SOMEHOW.
I I I, I WOULD HAVE NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD EVER BE LISTENING TO A DISCUSSION LIKE THIS.
YOU KNOW, I CAN REMEMBER AS A YOUNG CHILD, MANY, MANY TIMES, IT WAS THE WAY SOMETHING WAS PRESENTED TO ME.
I GUARANTEE YOU ANYBODY CAN FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH ANYTHING IF THEY WANT TO.
[00:40:02]
AND WE HAVE SO STRETCHED THE DEFINITION OF WHAT IS COMMON SENSE THAT I, I JUST, I I DON'T HAVE ANY WORDS TO EXPRESS WHAT, WHAT I HEARD.I RESPECT YOUR OPINION TO YOURS.
AND IT'S, IT'S NOT MEANT TO BE DISRESPECTFUL, BUT, BUT THE THREE OF YOU ARE REPRESENTING ALL OF US.
AND, AND THAT'S WHAT I'M LOOKING AT.
YOU KNOW, FOR THOSE OF US WHO VOLUNTEER IN HOSPITALS AND, AND WE FIND THAT THE YOUNG, YOUNG TODDLERS WHO HAVE GONE THROUGH CHEMO, AND IF THERE'S A WAY WE CAN DETERMINE THAT IT'S GONNA MAKE THEM FEEL GOOD TO HAVE A LITTLE WIG ON THEIR HEADS, WE WILL DO SOMERSAULTS.
THAT THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT.
BUT IF YOU READ WHAT I, THE AUTHOR'S INTENT WAS, WHICH I DID IN SEVERAL INTERVIEWS AND, AND THAT YOU CAN EASILY FIND ONLINE, THAT WAS HIS INTENT.
BUT, BUT TODD, THIS IS A PUBLIC LIBRARY.
YOU KNOW, WHATEVER THE INTENT WAS OF, OF COMMUN AND I, THIS IS, THIS ISN'T REALLY A DEBATE, BUT, BUT I CAN, I CAN COME OUT AND I CAN SAY, I WOULD QUESTION THE INTENT OF ANYBODY WHO WOULD TAKE A SIMPLE BOOK LIKE THAT NOTWITHSTANDING WHAT THE AUTHOR'S INTENT WAS AND READ INTO IT AND SAY, WE ARE GONNA MAKE A DECISION TO MAKE THAT BOOK LESS AVAILABLE BECAUSE WE, WE AGREE WITH THE AUTHOR.
I, I'M JUST NOT PERSUADED IN THAT MANNER.
I LOOK AT WHAT IS THE INTENT OF A PUBLIC LIBRARY AND, AND IT IS TO PROVIDE ALL, ALL GROUPS WITH ACCESS TO INFORMATION.
THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY TRUE THOUGH.
I THINK WHAT WE, IT'S NOT SUMS IT UP BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY SUBGROUPS OF THE GLOBAL SOCIETY THAT MUCH OF IT WOULD BE REPREHENSIBLE TO BOTH YOU AND I AND YOU CAN'T HAVE IT IN THERE.
BUT, BUT TODD, BUT THERE'S PEOPLE'S PUBLIC COMMENT, DEBATE IN THE COMMUNITY.
THIS IS NOT, IT'S MY MEETING THAT, AND I LOVE THIS.
BECAUSE IF THIS IS BEING LIVE STREAMED AND, AND OUR, AND IT IS, AND OUR CITIZENS ARE LISTENING TO THIS, I THINK THIS, THIS IS IMPORTANT COMMENTARY ME TOO.
BECAUSE WE ALL HAVE DIFFERENCE OF OPINIONS AND I AGREE THERE IS MATERIAL OUT THERE THAT'S ABSOLUTELY DEPLORABLE.
WHAT I HAVE CONFIDENCE IN IS OUR PROFESSIONALS WHO WE USUALLY WILL RESPECT AS THAT IS THEIR EXPERTISE.
UNLESS THERE, THERE'S AN OVERWHELMING REASON, WHICH I DON'T THINK HAS BEEN DISCUSSED AND, AND CERTAINLY VALIDATED TO OVERRIDE THEIR DECISION.
WHAT I REALLY DO HOPE IS THAT THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE LIVE STREAMING, YOU FIND A WAY TO LET OUR CITIZENS LISTEN TO THIS TYPE OF DISCUSSION BECAUSE IT IS NOT BANNING, IT IS SIMPLY MAKING MATERIAL MORE DIFFICULT TO BE ACCESSED.
BECAUSE SOME BELIEVE THAT THAT'S THE WAY WE NEED TO PROTECT OUR YOUNG PEOPLE OR PROTECT WHOEVER IT IS WE'RE GOING.
AND THAT'S A SLIPPERY SLOPE WHO WE DECIDE TO PROTECT.
WHAT WHAT I THINK IS, IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO ME IS THAT I DON'T KNOW WHERE THIS ENDS.
AND AS SOME, AND I'LL, I'LL, I'LL WRAP UP.
AS SOMEONE WHO HAS SPENT THE ENTIRE DAY IN A HEARING REGARDING THE GRID AND THE CRITICALITY OF THE, OF THE ISSUES WE HAVE IN THE STATE, IT JUST BLOWS MY MIND THAT THIS IS WHERE WE'RE SPENDING OUR TIME, OUR RESOURCES.
I PERSONALLY WOULD LIKE SOMEBODY TO FIND OUT HOW MUCH ALL OF THIS HAS COST UP TO THIS STATE.
DO DO I THINK THAT I NEED SOMEBODY TO PROTECT YOUNG PEOPLE I HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY FOR NO, NO.
THERE MAY BE SOME THINGS THAT I'M GONNA, I'M GONNA BELIEVE DIFFERENTLY THAN YOU, BUT THAT'S OKAY.
THAT JUST MEANS THAT WE HAVE A PUBLIC LIBRARY, WE HAVE PROFESSIONALS.
LAURA HAS SPENT A LOT OF TIME EXPLAINING WHAT WAS PRESENTED IN THE FORM.
[00:45:01]
THIS PERSON WANTS.NOT WHAT WE THINK CAN BE INTERPRETED BY SOME SORT OF DRAWING OR, OR DESIGN OR SOMETHING.
IT, IT, IT APPARENTLY IS NOT A FACT BECAUSE WE HAVE SOME PEOPLE WHO HAVEN'T DETERMINED WHAT YOU HAVE AS A RESULT OF A DRAWING, WHICH IS OKAY.
IT JUST SAYS THAT THERE IS A DIFFERENCE OF OPINION.
SO I WILL SUM UP BY SAYING UP UNTIL THIS POINT, I'LL TELL YOU I WAS SO, I WAS SO VERY, VERY PROUD OF THE DIRECTION WE WERE GOING.
I, I THOUGHT WE, WE HAD FOUND A WAY TO, TO BALANCE THE ENVIRONMENT THAT WE'RE STRUGGLING WITH AND THAT WE SOMEHOW HAD BALANCED EVERYTHING OUT AND SHOWED RESPECT FOR THE PROCESS.
BUT MORE THAN THAT SHOWED RESPECT FOR WHAT A PUBLIC LIBRARY IS IN THIS COMMUNITY AND TO OUR PROFESSIONALS WHO MANAGE THE PROJECT.
SO THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO ME.
I KNOW WE'LL HAVE DIFFERENCE OF OPINIONS THAT'S DIFFERENT WHEN WE ARE DISCUSSING IT AMONG OURSELVES.
THIS IS GOING TO IMPACT A LOT OF PEOPLE.
AND I SUSPECT THERE ARE GOING TO BE SOME WHO ARE GONNA SEE THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO PURSUE EVEN MORE AVENUES IN THIS DIRECTION.
I GUESS JUST THAT HEALTHY BOUNDARIES ARE GONNA CREATE HEALTHY COMMUNICATIONS FOR OUR INFORMATION.
WHAT'S THE PROCESS FOR CITIZENS TO SUBMIT A REQUEST FOR APPEAL TO CITY COUNCIL AS THAT'S THE NEXT STEP? THAT INFORMATION IS LOCATED IN THE ORDINANCE THAT IT AUTHORIZED IT IN THE POLICY OF THE LAST PARAGRAPH.
AS I WAS SAYING, HEALTHY BOUNDARIES CREATE HEALTHY COMMUNITIES.
I REALLY DON'T THINK PUTTING IT ON A HIGH SHELF OFF CENSORSHIP CREATES ANY KIND OF, CENSORSHIP IS A TERRIBLE WORD FOR IT.
A 5-YEAR-OLD DOESN'T HAVE THAT.
THAT RIGHT BELONGS TO ITS PARENT.
AND THE PARENT CAN PUT THE BOOK BACK IF THEY DON'T THINK IT'S APPROPRIATE FOR ABSOLUTELY.
SO THEN, BUT I THINK HA, HAVING THE PARENT GO TO GET THE BOOK IS WHERE IT SHOULD BEGIN WITH.
IT'S SO EVERY BOOK JUST VERY DIFFERENT REQUIRE PARENTAL APPROVAL.
THE PROBLEM IS PARENTS LETTING THEIR CHILDREN RUN AROUND IN THE LIBRARY IN THE FIRST PLACE.
AND NO OFFENSE, TODD, BUT YOU EVEN ADMITTED THAT YOU GO UPSTAIRS WHEN YOU HAD YOUNGER CHILDREN WENT UPSTAIRS AND LEFT THEM DOWNSTAIRS.
THAT IS A RULE THAT YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO DO THAT.
AND IF PARENTS AREN'T DOING THAT, THEN THAT'S ON THEM.
IF THEIR CHILDREN ARE GRABBING THINGS THEY DO NOT WANT.
AND MR. CHAIR, YOU CAN CHOOSE TO REOPEN THE PUBLIC COMMENT IF YOU WANT TO.
UM, SO LET ME ASK A QUESTION TO MEREDITH REAL QUICK, PLEASE.
I ALREADY KNOW THE ANSWER, BUT I JUST WANNA OKAY.
SO WHAT HAPPENS TO A BOOK THAT SITS ON A SHELF FOR A ALL LENGTHY PERIOD OF TIME AND DOESN'T GET CHECKED OUT AFTER A WHILE? UM, IT KIND OF DEPENDS ON WHAT SECTION IT'S IN, BUT IN SOMETHING LIKE THE CHILDREN'S COLLECTION, IF IT'S NOT CIRCULATING, IT'S NOT EARNING, ITS KEEP AND WE HAVE TO MAKE SPACE FOR SOMETHING ELSE.
AND SO WE WEED IT OUT BECAUSE IT'S NOT BEING CHECKED OUT.
AND, UM, I JUST THINK THAT THIS BOOK THROUGH MY EXPERIENCES AS A SCHOOL TEACHER FOR 36 YEARS WOULD'VE HELPED ONE OF MY STUDENTS.
WOULD'VE HELPED ONE OF MY STUDENTS.
AND I KNOW IT AND IT SADDENS ME BECAUSE WHEN YOU PUT A BOOK ON A HIGH SHELF, IT, IT BECOMES THE FORGOTTEN THING.
JUST LIKE THE FORGOTTEN TOY ON TOP OF A REFRIGERATOR.
I WOULD RATHER HAVE A DISCLAIMER IN A BOOK AND PUT BACK ON THE SHELF THEN TO PUT IT ON TOP OF A BOOKSHELF WHERE IT WON'T BE CHECKED OUT ANYMORE AND EVENTUALLY TOSSED AND DIS AND DISCARDED.
IT'S EXCEPT PARENTAL EYESIGHT.
I DON'T, BUT THEN IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A BOOK LIKE THAT, YOU KNOW, TO GO TO THAT SECTION TO LOOK FOR THAT BOOK.
YOU'VE BEEN ON THE LIBRARY BOARD.
I'VE BEEN ON THE LIBRARY BOARD.
MS. SAILOR'S BEEN ON THE LIBRARY BOARD.
I'M NOT SURE IF ANYBODY ELSE HERE HAS BEEN ON THE LIBRARY BOARD, BUT WE ALL KNOW THAT THE LIBRARY DOESN'T ALWAYS JUST BUY A SPECIFIC BOOK.
THEY GET PACKAGES OF BOOKS FROM PUBLISHERS AND IT'S EASY FOR THE PUBLISHER TO PUT THINGS IN.
[00:50:01]
WE DON'T DO MANY STANDING ORDERS ANYMORE.SO WE DO MORE, I CAN'T SPEAK FOR THIS TITLE, BUT MOST OF OURS ARE INDIVIDUALLY SELECTED.
NOW WE ONLY HAVE LARGE PRINT AS STANDING ORDERS AT THIS POINT.
BUT YES, BECAUSE THAT IS A CHANGE.
BECAUSE WHEN I WAS ON COUNCIL, WE WERE STILL DOING THAT.
THINGS HAVE REALLY CHANGED BECAUSE OF THE BUDGET OF THE, THE WAY WE'RE MANAGING THINGS AND, AND IS IT OKAY? YES, OF COURSE.
UM, AND AND I WAS GOING TO SAY, I, I THINK THAT, UM, IF WE, CAN YOU MAYBE COME TO THE, SORRY, I'M NOT SURE IF IT'LL SORRY.
NO, I WAS JUST CHATTERING AWAY.
YOU KNOW, THINK THINKING ABOUT OUT THE PUBLIC LIBRARY AND THE CHALLENGES THAT WE'VE HAD, 'CAUSE TODD, YOU AND I WERE ON THE LIBRARY, UM, AT THE SAME TIME AND I, I KNOW THAT THE RECONSIDERATION REQUESTS HAD WERE, WERE SO, UH, FEW, BUT, BUT OFTENTIMES WHEN THERE WOULD BE SOMETHING WE WERE TALKING ABOUT, ABOUT THE BUDGET SELECTION OF BOOKS, YOU KNOW, INHERENTLY IN THAT DISCUSSION WOULD BE HOW ARE WE MAKING THE DECISIONS AND, AND UNDERSTANDING OUR, UH, OUR PROFESSIONALS APPROACH.
SO, SO I I LOOK AT THE ENVIRONMENT NOW AND THE CHALLENGES WE HAVE AND, AND I DO, I DO WONDER IF MANY FOLKS ARE, ARE NOT AWARE OF THE SUBTLE CHANGES THAT HAVE TAKEN PLACE.
AND I THINK THAT'S REALLY WHAT I'M ALLUDING TO.
YOU KNOW, IF I TALK ABOUT ONE BOOK AND YOU TELL ME HAPPY BOUNDARIES, MAKE HAPPY PEOPLE OR, OR WHATEVER WHERE THE, THE MANTRA IS, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT REALLY SOUNDS INNOCUOUS TO ME.
WHAT DOESN'T SOUND INNOCUOUS TO ME IS WHEN I TAKE THE DEPTH OF THIS DISCUSSION, THE POINTS THAT WERE MADE.
AND, AND FOR ME TO, TO THINK THAT WE HAVE BECOME A SOCIETY WHERE WE SOW FEAR, NO MATTER THE INTENT OF ANYBODY, DON'T MISUNDERSTAND ME, THAT WE SO FEAR THE, THE THE, THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLORE AN AVENUE.
AND JUST BY EXPLORING THAT, JUST BY LOOKING AT A BOOK THAT IS GOING TO SO SIGNIFICANTLY INFLUENCE A LITTLE PERSON.
I DON'T, I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW HOW TO TALK ABOUT THAT.
I, I DON'T, MY MIND ISN'T PROCESSING THAT.
WHAT, WHAT IT IS PROCESSING IS.
I WOULD HOPE THAT WE ARE ALL MATURE ENOUGH TO SAY THAT I DON'T KNOW A TIME THAT I'M OUT ANYWHERE IN LARGE CROWDS THAT I DON'T SEE SOMETHING THAT I EITHER DON'T UNDERSTAND OR THAT JUST AMAZES ME.
BUT I LOOK AROUND AND I DON'T SEE ANYBODY BE BEING SO INFLUENCED BY WHAT THEY JUST SAW OR THEY JUST READ OR THE MOVIE THEY JUST WENT TO THAT THEY'RE GONNA CHANGE THEIR LIVES.
BUT, BUT THAT'S THE PART THAT PARENTS PLAY IS WHEN THE CHILD ASKS THE QUESTION OR BRINGS UP ANYTHING THAT THAT'S WHERE THE DISCUSSION TAKES PLACE.
SO I, I WOULD NOT HAVE PREDICTED, UH, THE WAY THIS EVENING WAS, WAS GOING TO END, BUT THAT'S OKAY.
THERE, THERE ARE THE DIFFERENCES.
I I WOULD HOPE THAT OUR CITIZENS LISTEN TO THIS AND THEN DECIDE WHETHER THEY WANT TO HAVE THEIR VOICE HEARD OR NOT.
BUT I WILL GO ON RECORD AS SAYING I DON'T CARE HOW STRONG OF AN IDEA I HAVE ABOUT WHAT'S APPROPRIATE, I WILL, YOU WILL NEVER CONVINCE ME THAT I AM SO RIGHT THAT I CAN MAKE DECISIONS THAT IMPACT OTHER PEOPLE.
BUT I RESPECT OUR LIBRARY, I LOVE OUR LIBRARY'S.
IT IS A PUBLIC LIBRARY AND I KNOW YOU DO TOO.
AND WE'VE SPENT A LOT OF TIME AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO THAT TO SUPPORT THE LIBRARY.
YOU ARE AN ALLY OF TRYING TO HELP GET ONE ON THE WEST SIDE, WHICH I STILL HOPE.
AND I'LL BE, WE'LL HAPPEN ONE OF THESE DAYS.
I WILL BE THERE WITH YOU EVERY STEP OF THE WAY.
SO THANK, THANK YOU AS ALWAYS FOR ALLOWING ME TO HAVE A VOICE.
UM, I, I REALLY HOPE IF, IF THIS OPENS THE DOOR TO, TO MORE REQUEST THAT WE DEAL WITH EACH ONE INDIVIDUALLY AND AND TALK VERY SPECIFICALLY ABOUT WHAT THE COMPLAINT IS, NOT WHAT WE THINK THE INTENT OF, OF THE AUTHOR IS.
AND THE OTHER THING I WILL SAY AS A CITIZEN, I DON'T KNOW OF ANY, I DON'T KNOW OF MANY FORMS, LEMME PUT IT THAT WAY.
WHERE THERE IS A COMPLAINT THAT WILL CAUSE A, A,
[00:55:01]
UH, A GOVERNING BODY TO INCUR EXPENSES.WHETHER IT'S EVERYTHING THAT LEADS UP TO THIS, INCLUDING THIS.
AND THERE'S NOT A STRONG REQUEST THAT SAYS IF YOU ARE GONNA TURN THIS ON, THAT AT LEAST YOU RESPECT THE PROCESS ENOUGH TO ATTEND AND SPEAK OF WHAT YOUR, UM, INTENT WAS IN MAKING THE, UH, MAKING THE COMPLAINT OR THE REQUEST FOR RECONSIDERATION.
I THINK THAT ONLY SHOWS RESPECT FOR THE COMMITTEE.
I CERTAINLY THINK IT SHOWS HOW SERIOUS THE, THE INDIVIDUAL IS IF THEY'RE TAKING THE TIME TO, TO MAKE THIS COMPLAINT.
AND, AND I RESPECT THAT, BUT RESPECT THE PROCESS ENOUGH TO, TO SHOW UP AND REPRESENT YOURSELF.
SO WE DO COMMUNICATE THE MEETING INFORMATION.
UH, WE HAVE TO PER THE, PER THE ORDINANCE, I BELIEVE.
UM, AND SO THE PERSON WAS NOTIFIED OF THE MEETING TIME AND DATE LOCATION.
AND, AND CAN WE SEE THE, UH, VIDEO, UH, IT IS LOCATED ON THE CITY'S BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS PAGE.
THERE'S A SECTION FOR SWAG RECORDINGS AND SO IT SHOULD BE UNDER, UNDER THERE.
DRE, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THESE TWO COLOR PHOTOS OF THE BOOK THAT ARE INCLUDED IN OUR PACKET.
WAS THIS SOMETHING THAT THE CITY PUT TOGETHER OR IS THIS THESE TWO PAGES? TWO PAGES THAT THE PERSON CONTESTING THE BOOK SUBMITTED WITH THEIR, THEY'RE ACTUALLY THREE IMAGES, RIGHT? ONE IS LIKE A WEBSITE, CROPPED WEBSITE IMAGE FROM GOOD READS.
AND THEN THERE ARE TWO IMAGES FROM THE BOOK.
AND THAT WAS PART OF THE ORIGINAL SUBMISSION.
SO THE PERSON WHO'S COMPLAINING ABOUT THIS BOOK SUBMITTED THIS PAGE HERE, WHICH TO MY BLIND EYE DON'T SEE ANY RABBIT.
AND THE PERSON WHO SUBMITTED THIS COMPLAINT SUBMITTED THIS IMAGE HERE.
AND IN MY BLIND EYE, I DON'T SEE ANY RABBIT.
IT MAKES ME BELIEVE THAT THE PERSON WHO SUBMITTED THE COMPLAINT WAS NOT COMPLAINING ABOUT THE RABID INTENTION.
THEY WEREN'T BECAUSE THEY WEREN'T, BECAUSE IF THEY WERE, THEY WOULD'VE PUT IT IN THEIR COMPLAINT THAT THERE WAS A HIDDEN WHATEVER IT WAS.
THEY WOULDN'T HAVE SAID, THEY WOULD'VE SAID SOMETHING ELSE BESIDES OBSCENE AND SEXUALLY EXPLICIT.
BUT THAT'S WHY I AGREE WITH HER.
BUT WHEN YOU TAKE THAT INAPPROPRIATE, IT'S IN PARAGRAPH, IN ITS ENTIRETY, IT'S INAPPROPRIATE.
I THINK THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT INTENT, BUT THE SUBTLE MESSAGES THAT ARE, I MEAN, WE'VE ALREADY DEBATED THE ITEM AND VOTED ON IT, I UNDERSTAND.
BUT THE COMPLAINT, AND I STAND TRUE TO MY NO VOTE.
THE PERSON WHO'S COMPLAINING ABOUT THIS BOOK NEVER MENTIONS ANYTHING ABOUT THE INTENT OF THE AUTHOR, THE HIDDEN AGENDA.
AND IT'S CLEAR FROM WHAT THEY WROTE IN THEIR PETITION AND BY THE PICTURES THAT THEY SUBMITTED.
AND SO I HAVE TO GO AS A COMMITTEE MEMBER JUST BASED OFF OF WHAT THEIR COMPLAINT WAS AND, AND NOTHING ELSE.
IF THEY SAY THIS BOOK IS ABOUT DRAG, THEN I READ IT TO SEE THE CONTENT ABOUT DRAG.
IF THEY SAY THIS BOOK IS SEXUALLY EXPLICIT, I AM LOOKING AT THIS BOOK TO SEE IS THIS SEXUALLY EXPLICIT? NO, IT IS NOT.
CAN'T CHECK THE BOX AT IT'S OBSCENE.
I UNDERSTAND THAT WE'VE ALREADY VOTED, BUT I STAND FIRM THAT MY VOTE WAS A NO, I STAND FIRM.
THAT MY VOTE WAS, THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO, TO SPEAK SO LATE IN THE MEETING.
AND I KNOW EVERYBODY WANTS TO, WANTS TO GO HOME.
UM, YOU KNOW, I I REALLY ENJOYED HEARING THE, THE DEBATE HERE, GOING BACK AND FORTH.
THE, IT WAS EDUCATIONAL TO HEAR ABOUT THE BUNNY EARS.
WHEN I, WHEN I THINK OF BUNNY EARS, I ACTUALLY KIND OF THINK OF PLAYBOY BUNNY.
SO THIS, THIS WHOLE THING WAS, WAS NEW TO ME.
I, I THINK THAT THE DECISION TONIGHT REALLY HARMS MORE OF A PARENT'S CHOICE.
BUT I'M EXCITED THAT THIS CAN COME TO CITY COUNCIL SO THAT WE CAN GET AN ANOTHER SHOT AT IT.
AND SO I, YOU KNOW, I REALLY DO APPRECIATE EVERYONE'S TIME AND I APPRECIATE YOUR ENERGY IN THIS.
SO, UM, MY QUESTION IS FOR MICHELLE.
I KNOW IT JUST SEEMED TO, WE'VE GOT TWO THINGS THAT ARE, ARE HAPPENING IN THE MEANTIME.
UM, ASSUMING THIS DOES GET APPEALED, WHERE WILL THE BOOK
[01:00:01]
GO NOW? WILL, WILL WE'VE REBUILD THIS PLACE OR WILL IT STAY WHERE IT IS DURING THE APPEAL? AND YOU KIND OF GLOSSED OVER THE APPEAL PROCESS.UH, CAN YOU KIND OF GIVE ME A LITTLE MORE, UM, HELP INTO THIS OR THAT? ANYBODY ELSE THAT WATCHES THIS CAN, CAN GET A LITTLE MORE GUIDANCE IN IT? THANK YOU.
COUNCIL PASSED ORDINANCE 2023 DASH ZERO THREE.
AND IN THAT ORDINANCE IT DID TWO THINGS.
ONE, IT CREATED THIS PARTICULAR COMMITTEE AND IT ALSO IS, UH, PUT A DUTY ON THE COMMITTEE TO ENFORCE AN EXHIBIT TO THE ORDINANCE, WHICH IS THE POLICY THAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT HERE TONIGHT.
IT'S A ONE PAGE POLICY CALLED THE LIBRARY'S RECONSIDERATION POLICY.
AND IT HAS SEVERAL THINGS IN THERE.
UM, IT IS ABLATED AND SO THERE IS SOME ROOM FOR INTERPRETATION FROM THE COMMITTEE.
I THINK THERE'VE MADE, THERE'VE BEEN SOME JUDGMENT CALLS IN THE PAST REGARDING THE APPEALS QUESTION.
WHAT IT STATES IS, UM, ANY DECISION OF THE COMMITTEE REGARDING LIBRARY MATERIALS CLASSIFICATION SLASH RELOCATION MAY BE APPEALED TO THE CITY COUNCIL BY ANY CITIZEN REQUESTING SUCH AN APPEAL THROUGH THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE.
THE CITY SECRETARY SHALL PLACE THE APPEAL ON THE AGENDA AT THE NEXT CITY COUNCIL MEETING AND PROVIDE BOTH THE APPELLATE AND THE REQUESTER NO LESS THAN SEVEN DAYS NOTICE OF THE SCHEDULED DATE FOR THE COUNCIL TO CONSIDER THE APPEAL.
AND IT SAYS IF APPEALED, THE COMMITTEE'S DECISION TO MOVE A MATERIAL SHALL ONLY BE IMPLEMENTED IF UPHELD BY THREE FOUR SUPER MAJORITY OF THE COUNCIL.
SO IN THIS CASE, THIS COMMITTEE OPTED TO MOVE A BOOK FROM THE CHILDREN'S SECTION TO THE PARENTAL SECTION IF IT IS IN FACT APPEALED.
AND WHEN IT'S PLACED, THAT MEANS IN ORDER FOR THE DECISION TO MOVE IT, IT'S ONLY GONNA BE IMPLEMENTED IF A THREE FOUR SUPERMAJORITY OF THE COUNCIL APPROVES IT.
SO THAT MEANS YOU HAVE TO HAVE, IF THERE'S EIGHT PEOPLE IN THE COUNCIL, THERE NEEDS TO BE SIX VOTES THAT WILL BASICALLY AFFIRM THE DECISION.
AND IF THAT'S THE CASE, THEN IT WILL, IT WILL BE, UM, IT'LL ONLY BE IMPLEMENTED AT THAT POINT.
UM, SO IN THE AGE FUND, SINCE THE DECISION HAS BEEN MADE AND IT HAS YET TO BE APPEALED, UM, THERE IS NO SPECIFICITY IN THE POLICY AS TO WHAT WOULD HAPPEN.
PROBABLY OUR RECOMMENDATION IS DURING THE INTERIM TO PLACE IT AS WHERE THE COMMITTEE KIND OF TALKED ABOUT TODAY IN THAT PARTICULAR VOTING PATTERN.
AND IF COUNCIL CHOOSES TO UPHOLD A DECISION, THEN IT'LL STAY THERE PERMANENTLY.
AND IF COUNCIL DOES NOT CHOOSE TO UPHOLD IT BY THE SUPER MAJORITY ACCOUNT, THEN IT'LL PROBABLY REVERTED BACK TO THE CHILDREN'S SECTION.
I WILL ALSO POINT OUT THAT PER THE ORDINANCE, UM, ONCE A DECISION ON A PARTICULAR BOOK HAS BEEN MADE, IT CANNOT BE RECONSIDERED, UH, FOR 12 MONTHS.
ANYONE ELSE? I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT WE GET TWO MEMBERS OF OUR HAVE YOU SPEAK TO THE PEOPLE FILMING THIS? WON'T BE ABLE TO HEAR YOU.
IF YOU CAN SPEAK AT THE MICROPHONE, SIR.
I THINK Y'ALL CAN HEAR ME MA'AM.
I THINK IT'S LUDICROUS THAT OUR GREAT CITY, I NEED YOU TO SPEAK INTO THE MIC PLEASE.
HAVING DONE THE TV YET OUR GREAT CITY, THAT TWO PEOPLE OUT OF THREE CAN, CAN CREATE CENSORSHIP FOR THE REST OF US.
TWO OUT OF THREE PEOPLE SHOWING UP FOR THIS MEETING HAVE CENSORED THE REST OF US THAT CAN HAPPEN.
THIS IS AMERICA, ISN'T IT? WHAT ABOUT FIRST AMENDMENT, ABOUT THE RIGHT TO SPEAK, THE RIGHT TO READ, THE RIGHT TO LEARN LIBERTY, PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS.
THIS IS ANYTHING BUT ALL THAT.
MEREDITH, YOU SAID THAT THIS BOOK WOULD BE PLACED ON A, A HIGH SHELF IN THE PARENTING SECTION OR THE ADULT SECTION.
I JUST WANTED TO BE CLEAR 'CAUSE I THOUGHT WERE TWO DIFFERENT THINGS.
FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND FROM WHAT YOU GUYS DECIDED, I'M GONNA FIND A LOCATION THAT'S WITHIN THE, SO THE TALLER SHELVES IN THE CHILDREN'S AREA, CLOSE TO THE CHILDREN'S SERVICES DESK.
UM, IT MAY NOT BE IN THEIR PARENTING COLLECTION BECAUSE THAT'S NOT AS TALL AS THE OTHER SHELVING UNITS THAT ARE LIKE THE AV COLLECTION.
UM, I CAN PROVIDE SOME PICTURES AND KIND OF GIVE YOU GUYS AN UPDATE AS TO WHERE THAT THAT IS.
BUT FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, IT WOULD STAY IN THAT CHILDREN'S GENERAL AREA ON A TIRE SHELF RESTRICTED TO ADULT ACCESS.
IS THAT CORRECT? TO MY UNDERSTANDING THAT FROM, YEAH.
MM-HMM,