New member proposes including events, displays in prohibition

ALEXANDRIA – An overflow crowd showed up Tuesday for a public hearing of the Rapides Library Review Board, whose newest member has proposed removing material on sexual orientation and gender identity from the public library system’s collections for children up to age 17. Events and displays at libraries could also be deemed unsuitable and not allowed.

Board member James Morgan, a Spanish language instructor at the local Country Day School, offered an amendment to alter the library’s Collection Development Policy. When asked for details and why he feels the current policy was insufficient, Morgan refused to answer before , during and after the meeting.

“The amendment is pretty straightforward, and I probably won’t say much outside of what I present at the meeting,” Morgan told the Illuminator in his Dec. 10 response to an email. He did not respond to a subsequent email sent after the meeting seeking clarification on the amendment.

The review board is scheduled to vote on Morgan’s proposal Jan. 17.

Read the article at Louisiana Illuminator