VAN BUREN, Ark. — On Friday, May 26, three Crawford County moms on behalf of their minors filed an 11-page lawsuit against Crawford County Judge Chris Keith, the Crawford County Quorum Court, the interim library director and the Crawford County Library Board. The lawsuit is regarding LGBTQ+ books made for children being moved to the adult section of the library.
5NEWS reached out to Judge Keith, the Crawford County Library System and some Quorum Court members for comment. One Quorum Court member responded saying they can't comment because of the pending lawsuit.
Samantha Rowlett is one of the parents suing over the relocation of the books. She goes to the Alma Public Library.
"I can't tell you how much money I have to spend on books and curriculum, homeschooling," said Rowlett, explaining her love for the library. "We are at the library at least once a week, sometimes twice a week. We love our librarians."
According to the lawsuit, the books were placed in the "social section", a subsection of the adult section.
"There were over 240 books removed," said mom Rebecca Virden, who also filed the lawsuit. She says what the library system is doing is wrong.
"It's not the librarian's job to say what's appropriate for my child. It's not the Quorum Court's job to predetermine that all these topics were not appropriate for my child, that is my right as a parent," said Virden.
During Crawford County's January Quorum Court meeting, several people spoke for and against banning children's LGBTQ+ books in public libraries.
"I do not want our children, grandchildren seeing these books," Julie Eversole said to 5NEWS during an interview at the January Quorum Court meeting. "I feel they are damaging psychologically, and I feel like our children are losing their innocence."
"Some of these books are, they obviously have, you know, two moms or two dads," Rowlett said. "Some of these books have children with disabilities. Some of them are just about activism." Rowlett says out of all this, she is hoping "books go back where they should be" and says she would like to see members of the library board be replaced.
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