Jordan Hearring, Life Editor

The Craighead County Jonesboro Public Library held their monthly board meeting on Feb. 14th. One of the topics of debate for the meeting was the young adult non-fiction book “All Boys Aren’t Blue” by George M. Johnson, which is regarded as a “memoir-manifesto” by the author. The book has been deemed controversial by members within the “Safe Library Books for Kids-Arkansas” Facebook group due to its “graphic and explicit nature” as it follows the author throughout his journey as a queer Black man in New Jersey. The book was on display in the teen and young adult section of the library.

At the board meeting, members of the community as well as board members Kailey Luster and Mark Nichols spoke of their disdain of the book and requested that it be moved out of reach within the library and implement a form of filtering for books containing “graphic and explicit content”. 

Mark Nichols stated, “The book in question has directly related to promiscuous behavior and higher STD rates among the LGBT community.” The source for his information was not disclosed at the meeting.

 Amanda Escue, a former library board member, was escorted off the premises by the Jonesboro Police Department for removing her mask in an opportunity to speak out of turn. Escue’s removal was requested by board chair Janice Griffin. 

Mark Nichols and Kailey Luster proceeded to speak over the other board members during board discussion. Among this discourse, several community members and A-State students spoke in support of keeping the book in the library catalog, as well as encouraging the library to continue to advocate for the LGBTQIA+. 

“I think this library issue impacts hundreds of A-State students, LGBTQIA+ or allies,” said Dean MacDonald, a fifth year political science and B.A. Music major from Paragould,  “I have seen tens of students at the library speaking on this issue in the last year, and we need this moving forward because this issue is not going to go away anytime soon. This past meeting was my third time speaking. I think it’s important to use any privilege you have to speak out against fear, hatred, and bigotry as well as amplify the voices of those who are being discriminated against.”

“At the meeting, I spoke to the board using the example of a tragic event that occurred at Midland School District a few years ago,” said John Caldwell, a sophomore general studies major from Springfield, Missouri. “I led with this example to illustrate the kind of hatred we are up against in that fight. This hatred is not unique to that school district, but to our community as well, being endorsed and cultivated in a church and political setting. We are tired of it and want to see change in our community, and we won’t stop fighting for our right to exist fully with positive representation in all spaces.”

The meeting adjourned shortly after voting on a ‘sexually explicit content’ policy, which would censor and remove any book material containing explicit content, including sex education books aimed to educate children. The issue was voted down with a ratio of 3-2. An action regarding the removal of the book “All Boys Aren’t Blue” was also voted down with the same ratio of 3-2. The only board member not in attendance at this meeting was board member Shalon Tate, who was absent for undisclosed reasons.

A livestream of the meeting is available on the “KLEK 102.5 FM” Facebook page. For more updates regarding this issue, follow the “Craighead County Jonesboro Public Library” Facebook page.

Categories: Life