After 17 months we have prevailed!
The reconsideration hearing for Me, Earl & the Dying Girl was today. Since it was my reconsideration application, the Board allowed me as much time as I needed to argue my case. After 8 minutes Zone 3 Aaron Bohachek was so uncomfortable with what I was saying he asked me to stop… I continued! After my argument the public was given 3 minutes each which totaled 20 minutes of public speaking.
After 30 minutes of Board discussion, they deliberated with a 4-0 vote. The final decision was:
1. Add a NEW section upstairs next to the front desk. This section will be named “New Adult” and will be recommended for 18 years and up. This section will have books with teenager characters but are inappropriate for minors according to Federal Obscenity Laws, Idaho State Laws, Miller Test and our Community Standards. The librarians will use resources like www.booklooks.org, Miller Test, etc. to rate these books. The system will be similar to rating a movie. WARNING: Parents that feel the need to monitor their child’s check outs should remove that child from your family library card. The librarian will not police what your child reads. But they will at least take steps to catalog these books out of the basement (area for under 18 years old). If you are fine with your child checking out whatever, then that child can roam the whole library and have their name on your family library card. This will give parents in the basement a “safety net” and reduce the stress of the librarians. Win-Win!!!
2. Over the next few months, the librarians will compare all books in the Young Adult section (12/14 to 18 years old) and slowly move books that do not pass the Miller Test upstairs in the “New Adult” section. All books cataloged in the “New Adult” section will have a warning label on the outside of the book stating, “Adult Content” (or similar verbiage).
3. Me, Earl and the Dying Girl will temporarily be located in the Director’s office. If anyone wants to check it out, please ask the front desk. Once they establish the “New Adult” section this book will be the 1st book in that category.
Today has been a day of victory, but I cannot take the credit. The glory belongs to God! I have prayed everyday on this matter for 17 months.
Thank you for all that came to fight this spiritual battle of morality. Sexualizing our children is a big investment for the sex industry and we as parents, grandparents and as a community must say NO!
The last thank you is to all of you that came to the Board meetings, called and wrote your library and Board members. Those that educated your family & friends. Pastors that stood at the podium and reminded their congregation what the Bible says about protecting our children, exposing sin and being the Salt & Light.
I would like to encourage those that did nothing to start doing something! Our country is degrading, and it is because we have lost our love for God, our country and family!
Apathy will destroy us!
Short version (11:34 minutes)
Longer version with Board voting (52:19 minutes)
