Library Director in Virginia Steps Down Amid Calls to Defund Over Controversial Children's Books

Director of Samuels Library Resigns Amid Controversy

Michelle Ross, the director of Samuels Library in Front Royal, Virginia, has resigned amid controversy surrounding "pornographic" children's books. Outraged parents had demanded that the library be defunded. Ross's resignation was accepted during an emergency meeting of the Samuels Public Library Board of Trustees.

Transition in Leadership

Michelle, the current director of the library, has made the decision to step down from her position due to health reasons. The Board of Trustees fully supports her decision and wishes her well. In the meantime, Eileen Grady, a long-time employee of the library, has been appointed as the interim director. The board aims to find a permanent director within the next six months.

Controversy Surrounding Books

Clean Up Samuels, a grassroots coalition of parents and concerned individuals, has recently launched a petition to remove several books from the library. The coalition claims that these books are objectionable and even labeled some of them as "pornographic." In addition to book removal, Clean Up Samuels is also calling for the replacement of library staff and the board of trustees.

Protests and Demands

Parents and community members in Warren County gathered at a Board of Supervisors meeting to protest the presence of controversial children's books in the local library. Around 34 books were deemed "pornographic" by the protesters, who demanded that they be removed from the library's shelves. Several Catholic parents also voiced their concerns during the meeting. The protesters threatened to defund the library if their demands were not met.

Concerns Raised by Parents

Parents in Front Royal expressed their concerns about explicit content in a book titled "This Book Is Gay" during a board meeting. One father described the book as "smut" and another mother emphasized the potential psychological harm that sexually explicit content can have on a child if exposed at the wrong stage of development.

Library as an Ally or Enemy

In a recent discussion about library funding, a mother argued that the library should be seen as an ally to families rather than an enemy. She emphasized the importance of community support in raising children and suggested that libraries play a crucial role in this. However, there were also speakers who disagreed with this perspective and advocated for the continued funding of libraries, even if they contain controversial books.

Library Budget Withheld

The Warren County Board of Supervisors has decided to withhold 75% of the library's budget for the upcoming fiscal year until September. This decision comes in response to parents' demands for policies that protect children from sexually explicit material and give parents control over their children's reading choices. The board member, Delores Oates, stated that they will continue to work on these policies in good faith. The issue will be revisited in September.

Review of Objectionable Books

The article discusses a recent decision regarding the budget of a library. The person in charge of the budget denies cutting it, stating that the action was taken to allow the library to present its proposed policies to their board for approval. The article also mentions a list of objectionable books called "Clean Up Samuels" which includes titles such as "It's Perfectly Normal," "This Book Is Gay," "This Is Why They Hate Us," and others.

Demands of Clean Up Samuels

A group is making three demands regarding a library. They want "pornographic" books removed from the children's section, the library to cut ties with the American Library Association and acquire only age-appropriate materials, and to replace the current library leadership who they believe have violated public trust.

Review of Titles and Library Efforts

The article states that a person named Ross, who has since resigned, has revealed that 134 titles are currently being reviewed. Some of these titles are on a list called "Clean Up Samuels." The options being considered for these titles are to either keep them as they are, move them to a different location, or remove them entirely. This information was shared in an email sent in June.

The library has made efforts to address parents' concerns by introducing new library cards that allow parents to restrict their children's access to certain sections. Additionally, a new "new adult" section has been created for readers aged 16 and above.