Board Vote Moves Book to New Area of Childrens Library
Greg Wilson/Anderson Observer
The Anderson County Library Board of Trustees voted to move a volume from the general children’s section on Monday, after tabling the motion after a series of tied votes in March.
The deciding vote was from board member Pinkey Rinnix, from District 2, who was absent from the March meeting, who in essence said she did not believe children should read the book at all.
The book “Melissa” (original title“George”) by Alex Gino, follows the story of a fourth grader named George (Melissa) who wants to audition for the part of Charlotte in the school’s production of “Charlotte’s Web.” Melissa is a girl who is struggling to be herself to the rest of the world, which sees her as a boy. The central theme of the book is childhood alienation and finding acceptance. But for some critics, the story is part of an agenda to promote transgender issues.
While there is no explicit content, the volume is among the most banned books in libraries across the county for the subject matter.
The book was challenged in a November complaint from Anderson County resident Phillip Morse . A local committee of five librarians reviewed the book and determined the book was appropriate as a juvenile fiction selection. In January Morse appealed the decision to the library board.
The vote Monday will move the book to the Family Resource section of the children’s library which houses books which discuss such topics as divorce, death and puberty.
The move comes just as Anderson County Council is sorting through the 43 applications for the two newly added at-large library board seats. Council Chairman Tommy Dunn said last week the choices for the board were important and that the council wanted to move quickly but not at the cost of not making the right choices.
During meetings leading up to council’s approval of the new at-large seats, some suggested the board needed members who reflected biblical principles, something council must be careful not to use as a measurement to avoid violation of the law against applying a religious test to any public board or office.
Some organized groups have charged that the Anderson County Library, among other libraries in the area, is an unsafe place, especially in the children's library, even though Anderson County library policies do not allow children under the age of 12 in the library without an accompanying adult. Children are also not allowed to check out books without parents present.
One local resident, J. Layne Spearman, was disappointed with Monday’s vote.
“Anderson’s community members deserve to feel welcome and represented in the pages of books within our public library,” said Spearman. “Remarks made by a few library board members were hurtful and biased against trans children that need and deserve to be represented in Anderson county.