Republican Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey wrote a letter to the director of the Alabama Public Library Service demanding answers regarding âsexually suggestiveâ books found in the childrenâs section.
In a Sept. 1 letter sent to director Nancy Pack, Ivey sought answers regarding the environment in public libraries for young children and families.
âI am writing to express concern â and to seek answers â about the environment our Alabama libraries are providing to families and children,â Ivey wrote.
âPublic libraries play a vital role in our communities,â Ivey continued. âThey facilitate research and learning. They provide recreation. And they promote literacy by fostering a love of reading that will improve our citizensâ lives and uplift our Statesâ communities.â
Ivey cited an instance in which the Foley Public Library in Foley, Alabama, âfeaturedâ a book called âWho Are You?: The Kidâs Guide to Gender Identityâ which is a childrenâs illustrated book introducing gender issues to children ages 5 to 8.
The Prattville Public Library reportedly has a book called âThe Pronoun Bookâ in the toddler and childrenâs section, which is geared towards children 3 years of age to learn about what pronouns people prefer. Additionally, the Library also has a book called âIf Youâre A Kid Like Gavinâ in the childrenâs section. The book is for children 4 to 8 years old to learn about being Transgender and gender transitioning.
Ozark Dale County Library contains books called âThe Mirror Seasonâ and âOnly Mostly Devastated,â which contain âgraphic sex scenes,â Ivey wrote in her letter.
âRegardless of background or income, Alabama libraries are â or should be â a safe place for all individuals in a community, including families and children, to read, learn, and explore,â Ivey said, adding that she is âincreasingly concerned due to recent reportsâ that have been questioning whether or not libraries in the state are âmost effectively fulfilling this important mission.â
Ivey added the issue, as some parents have put it, âis not about removing these booksâ but more about âensuring that these books are placed in an appropriate location.
Iveyâs letter comes as there is a continued discussion across the country regarding sexually explicit content in books being introduced to children in public libraries and schools.
