Books at local libraries spark controversy over explicit content
Several Marathon County residents used last Thursday’s budget hearing to voice concerns about books at their local public libraries they found be “pornographic” and harmful to children, though a couple of parents defended the texts as legitimate sex education.
Sharon Hunter, president of the Marathon County Public Library (MCPL) Board of Trustees, said the books in question are undergoing a review process, and a decision would be made at the end of the month about whether they should remain where they are. Hunter pled with supervisors not to cut the MCPL’s budget because of uproar over controversial books.
“We are very serious about these challenges,” she said.
Tanya Riehle, Wausau, said every tax dollar deserves “severe scrutiny,” and taxpayer-funded libraries should be places where residents should feel reasonably safe, especially kids who are browsing books in the children’s sections. Riehle read excerpts from a book called “Making a Baby,” found at the Marathon City library, which has graphic descriptions of sex and a diagram of male and female gentalia engaged in intercourse.
Riehle called the book “disgusting” and said a majority of county taxpayers would likely find the book and others like it “offensive, harmful, inappropriate and likely obscene for children.”
“The book I just quoted is just one example of the many adult topics, such as sex and race, masquerading as children’s material in our libraries,” she said. “Our public libraries are exposing our innocent young children to sexualization, grooming and race-baiting by putting these types of books on the shelves of the children’s section of the library.”
Erin Crawford, a mother of six who homeschools her kids, said she “100 percent relies on the library,” but objects to books such as “Gender Queer” and “The Perks of Being a Wallflower,” which includes a description of a rape. Not only is the content “offensive” and “pornographic,” Crawford argued that it could be considered “illegal” for children to see.
“Understand that this is about safety; it’s not about censorship,” she told county supervisors.
The library board’s policies need to change, Crawford said, urging supervisors to hold the library board “accountable to the taxpayers” for the materials paid for by the county budget.
“I do not want my tax dollars funding a library that is not responsible for its materials,” she said.
Dr. Robin Baker said she was “horrified” to find “pornographic” material accessible to children in the library, citing studies showing that early exposure to sexually explicit material “inflicts lifelong damage,” resulting in promiscuity, sexual abuse and substance abuse.
“It is a rape of their minds, and it is child endangerment,” she said. Baker asked supervisors to “take a stronger look at the library budget,” suggesting that harmful materials in the library are contributing to problems that need to be addressed by abuse shelters also paid for by the county.
“We’re creating our own problems,” she said. “This is a time to tighten our belts and show fiscal and moral responsibility to Marathon County citizens.”
Others who spoke at the hearing urged board members to let the library board continue its process for reviewing challenged books and avoid cutting the library’s budget as punishment.
Beth Martin, Wausau, said she supports full funding of the library system, noting that public libraries are one of “the last places we can go that does not require us to spend any money.” She praised the MCPL’s wide variety of materials, knowledgeable staff and programs available to county residents.
Martin said the library board should be allowed to fully enact its procedure for reviewing controversial books.
“Let the process work,” she said. “Punishing the library because you don’t like something in it does not seem like the right solution to me.”
Ashley Hockers and her son, Phineas, spoke in favor of local libraries and the programs they offer. Ashley said her local library in Wausau was instrumental in developing her son’s social skills and getting him interested is science.
“The library provides an essential service to our community, and, I for one, am proud that my tax dollars pay for it,” she said.
Hunter said the library board has an obligation to offer a wide variety of materials to patrons, and that “what may be offensive to some person may not be offensive to you or to me.”
“Some families may actually use those items as educational materials if they’re talking to their children about sex,” she said.
A couple of parents who spoke at the hearing backed up Hunter’s statements about the educational value of the controversial books.
As a new mother, Claire Brooks, Wausau, said she often turns to the library for parenting guidance and she expects to use the books there to help answer questions when her kids enter puberty.
“I’m actually kind of excited about that book called ‘Making a Baby,’” she said. “It sounds like it has a lot of anatomically correct ways to explain a complicated and embarrassing topic.”
Brooks pointed out that the Internet is a far more dangerous place for kids looking up information about sex.
“A book about sex education is not pornography,” she said.
Another mother, Ashley Kickbusch, said she deeply values the library for the resources it offers, including “Making a Baby,” which she has already gone over with her six-year-old.
“I have a curious daughter. I don’t want to sugarcoat it,” she said. “I want to have those references available. I understand that some people may find that offensive, and that’s everybody’s own right.”
Multiple supervisors addressed the controversial books issue, with many signaling support for the concerned citizens.
Board vice-chairman Craig McEwen said he has received numerous complaints about “child pornograpy” in the libraries, and some of the emails he received included depictions of what were in the books.
“I immediately deleted these emails because I did not want to be in possession of child pornography, which is against the law,” he said.
McEwen said he is not advocating for the removal of any books from the library, but he believes the board of trustees needs to have better checks in place to protect children from inappropriate material. He accused the library board of not taking citizens’ concerns seriously enough, pointing to a Sept. 19 board meeting when about 40 of them showed up.
“I was told they were treated very disrespectfully,” he said.
Supervisor Tim Sondelski said he did a report on a book called “It’s Perfectly Normal,” which is available in the 7 and up age section. He said it contains “a lot of nudity” and discussions of masturbation. He said he has not heard back from the library board about the book and agrees with McEwen that the issue is not being taken seriously.
Supervisor Ann Lemmer, on the other end, defended the library board and said its process for reviewing challenged books is not a quick one.
“They are in the process right now,” she said. “ I would really ask this body to respect that process.”
Lemmer said she’s worried about suggestions for the board to defund the library system, fearing that rural libraries would suffer most from that decision.
“Please do not defund this library,” she said. Supervisor Michelle Van Krey also defended the library and its process for reviewing books.
“I promise they are taking it seriously,” she said. “They are going through the appropriate processes.”
Supervisor Jennifer Aarrestad said she doesn’t think any supervisor wants to defund the library or ban books, but she believes it’s important to protect children in compliance with the law. One of her constituents suggested possible solutions, such as labeling the books as controversial, keeping them behind the desk or moving them into the adult section.
“I believe that if the library board will come to an agreeable compromise on this issue, it will make it easier for the county board to vote in favor of the proposed library budget,” she said.
Supervisor Tony Sherfinski wondered if the county or the library was at legal risk by offering books that some deemed as harmful to children.
Corporation counsel Michael Puerner said he hasn’t reviewed any of the books himself, but he said the law provides exemptions, both criminally and civilly, for libraries.
“There are certain legal protections that our state legislature has put in statute that would limit the existence of any liability for those books being present in the library,” he said.
