Skip to content
49°
Topeka, KS
News
Election Results
Weather
Sports
Latest Video
Livestream
Send It In
Closings And Delays
ACLU urges St. Marys City Commission to drop censorship fight, fund library
FILE - St. Marys library may be in jeopardy, lease set to end in December
FILE - St. Marys library may be in jeopardy, lease set to end in December
By Sarah Motter
Published: Nov. 21, 2022 at 4:57 PM CST
ST. MARYS, Kan. (WIBW) - The ACLU has urged the St. Marys City Commission to drop its censorship fight and continue to fund the local library.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas says it has called on the St. Marys City Commission to continue to fund the Pottawatomie-Wabaunsee Regional Library headquarters and abandon a proposed ban on certain materials.
At its Tuesday meeting, the Commission voted to postpone a decision about the library’s lease, which expires on Dec. 31, until its next meeting. The ACLU said the decision follows the library’s refusal to remove all LGBTQ, sexual, racial or otherwise “socially diverse” content.
St. Marys City Commission postpones decision on library lease
The organization noted that various members of the community testified at the meeting and have also contacted it with their concerns about the proposed ban and heavy-handed response. It said the move to essentially close the library arose largely in response to one resident’s concern over a single book about a transgender child.
The book in question is “Melissa,” written by Alex Gino which was previously published as “George.” The book expresses transgender views, however, library staff said the book no longer remains on its shelves.
“The residents of the various cities served by the library have a First Amendment right to the targeted content,” said Sharon Brett, Legal Director of the ACLU of Kansas. “And the St. Mary’s commission’s insistence on banning items containing content they don’t like could have constitutional implications when it comes to library patrons’ rights to free expression and the right to receive information.”
The ACLU indicated that the commission’s request constitutes one of the most extreme examples of censorship in the Sunflower State thus far and shows localization of recent attacks on intellectual freedom nationwide.
“It’s not too late for the commission to change course,” said Micah Kubic, Executive Director of the ACLU of Kansas. “Already the commission has toed the line of authoritarian censorship, which has historically silenced, stifled, and whitewashed the perspectives of marginalized groups of people.
“Ultimately, this is a truly troubling exercise of power by each member of the St. Mary’s Commission,” Kubic said. “The very framework of our democracy is held up by the education of its citizenry and by a society in which ideas are openly disseminated and debated, even when those in power disagree, and especially on deeply complex issues. We should all have the right to make up our own minds, and it’s dangerous territory when city authorities begin to toy with that right.”
The ACLU noted that the library has an existing policy that allows parents to filter what their children can check out. The commission now plans to vote on the library’s lease renewal at its Dec. 6 meeting. It said it will continue to monitor the situation and consider all possible options.
13 NEWS reached out to the St. Marys City Commission for a statement about the ACLU’s claims on Wednesday, Nov. 16, however, no response has been forthcoming.
Copyright 2022 WIBW. All rights reserved.
Most Read
Aldrick Scott is arrested in Belize on Dec. 6, 2022.
Topeka man arrested in Belize in connection with missing Omaha woman
Topeka High boys basketball coach Geo Lyons said his players were the targets of racially...
Schools continue to deal with incident from Saturday’s Topeka High at Valley Center basketball game
Topeka High boys basketball coach Geo Lyons said his players were the targets of racially...
Coach petitions to remove Valley Center fans following incident tabbed racist
A DoorDash driver waiting for an order to be completed at a Popeyes in Detroit says she noticed...
Popeyes shuts down over video showing cockroaches on orders
FILE- This June 27, 2016, file photo shows an Olive Garden restaurant, a Darden brand, in...
‘If your dog died ... prove it to us’: Olive Garden manager fired after time-off rant
SPONSORED
Topeka based businesses offering extra holiday deals
By Chris Fisher
Shop Local! Several Topeka based vendors are offering great deals for your holiday shopping...
Latest News
A study conducted by a job-seeking website has ranked Kansas as the 14th best state for hiring.
Kansas ranked 14th best state for hiring by a job-seeking resource’s study
Eskridge Fire Chief Jon Taylor said he continues to be on the lookout for individuals who are...
Area fire departments say they can use more volunteers
Alice McClanahan
Topeka elementary school mourns passing of kindergartner
LaShantese Ward
Woman arrested after downtown Topeka stabbing
FILE - Marci Clare prepares to head to Michigan to compete for Ms. Wheelchair America following...
Nominations open for Ms. Wheelchair Kansas, Little Miss contestants
Weather
News
Sports
Morning Show
Contact Us
Community Calendar
WIBW
631 SW Commerce Pl.
Topeka, KS 66615
(785) 272-6397
Public Inspection File
[email protected] - (785) 272-6397
Terms of Service
Privacy Policy
EEO Statement
FCC Applications
Advertising
Closed Captioning/Audio Description
A Gray Media Group, Inc. Station - © 2002-2022 Gray Television, Inc.