Billings librarians speak out on proposed changes to book collection procedure
Billings Public Schools librarians said this week it was ironic they were being recognized for the Pat Williams Intellectual Freedom Award from the Montana Library Association at the same time the school board was considering undercutting their work.
Monday, librarians, parents, teachers and community members lined up to tell school board members to respect students’ rights, the First Amendment, taxpayer dollars, and the expertise of librarians and to oppose changes to a library collection procedure.
The changes — not approved this week — would have added layers of approvals to book purchases, including by the superintendent. They also would have struck out the Library Bill of Rights, including a provision that libraries should challenge censorship and support groups concerned about the free access to ideas.
The conflict pitting parents’ rights against intellectual freedom brings a debate that’s taken place across the country and at the Capitol to the largest school district in Montana.
Parents who are worried about “obscene materials” have raised concerns in Billings this year, and at the meeting Monday, they did so again and called on the school board to follow the law and protect their children.
In a Facebook post about the meeting, Moms for Liberty of Yellowstone County urged parents to show support for “those standing against the indoctrination of our children” and oppose “inappropriate sexual content (including rape, incest, killing teachers, violence, teaching drug use and alcoholism, etc.) in our public school libraries.”
Jessie Browning said taxpayers are assisting librarians in breaking the law by providing obscene material to children, and it needs to stop.
“We strongly support any efforts by the superintendent and others to change current district policy that has allowed this to continue,” Browning said.