Jason Rapert, a member of the Arkansas State Library Board, attempts to withhold funding for libraries that don’t separate “sexually explicit” books during a meeting on Nov. 9, 2024. Member Lupe Peña de Martínez looks on. (Mary Hennigan/Arkansas Advocate)
Jason Rapert continued to wage his one-man culture war at Friday’s Arkansas State Library Board meeting with help from a handful of speakers who spoke against the availability of books with sexual themes in public libraries.
Rapert suggested the board be abolished if it doesn’t act to restrict minors’ access to “sexually explicit” books in public libraries.
Rapert has made the same call at each quarterly library board meeting since February. Each time a majority of board members has resisted his efforts to restrict or withhold funding for libraries that don’t segregate books with sexual and LGBTQ themes in spaces minors cannot access.
As he promised at previous meetings, Rapert indicated Friday he would bring similar proposals as long as he is on the board.
Arkansas Library Board again refuses to block funds to certain public libraries
Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders appointed Rapert, a former state senator, to the library board last November, and his term ends in 2029.
“I plead with the people of Arkansas and every state legislator in this state — if we can’t have people that will protect these young folks in our libraries, for goodness sake, do something to get them out of there,” said Rapert, a former state senator and founder and president of the National Association of Christian Lawmakers. “And for God’s sake, if this board won’t take action, abolish this board and give all the authority to the director of the education department because this is absolutely ridiculous.”
The State Library Board is a subagency of the Department of Education.
Rapert’s actions are related to Act 372 of 2023, a state law that would change how libraries handle controversial material. The law would have also made librarians criminally liable for distributing some “obscene” content, but a federal judge temporarily blocked two sections of the law last year before it took effect. A trial scheduled for December was canceled after parties in the case filed briefs with the court.
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Rapert’s remarks Friday came after he failed to secure enough support from the board to start a rule promulgation process to withhold library funding and after a public comment period that included six Arkansans who shared concerns about “sexually explicit” books in their local libraries. Two library staff members also spoke in support of their services.
Rapert said he wanted to bring forward a rule that would amend the board’s policies to require any “library receiving funds through our board attest in writing that they are ensuring no sexually explicit books or materials are accessible by minor children under the age of 18 whether in print or digital format.”
Funding would be withheld from libraries that refused to attest until they were in compliance, and libraries that did not comply for six months would be deemed ineligible for funding through the state board, according to a written motion by Rapert that he amended to include language about the rule promulgation.
Sarah DeBusk with the attorney general’s office said the board has the authority to draft rules and send them through the promulgation process, which would include approval from the education secretary, governor and a public comment period. The board has a history of not supporting Rapert’s motions that include minimizing library funding.
While fellow member and Sanders’ appointee Shari Bales supported Rapert’s motion to begin the rule drafting process, she recommended that “explicit” needed to be further defined. The five other members voted against Rapert’s motion.
“The country is absolutely taking a stand against this junk; this state takes a stand against this junk,” Rapert said, referring to the recent election. “If you people don’t have the decency to do what’s right, then I pray the Arkansas Legislature does.”
The Legislature will convene at noon on Jan. 13, 2025, for the start of the 95th General Assembly.
On Friday, Rapert opposed various funding requests for libraries and library staff scholarships throughout the meeting. He also opposed nominating Deborah Knox and Pamela Meridith to chair and vice chair, respectively.
“There is no way that I can vote for anyone to be chair and vice chair of this board who doesn’t have the [intention] to protect minor children from sexually explicit materials,” Rapert said.
At the end of the meeting, Rapert said he would bring two discussions to their next meeting in February: the American Library Association and amending the board’s policies to withhold funding from libraries that are not restricting access to “sexually explicit” materials.
Public comments
Eight people spoke during public comment at Friday’s meeting. Six shared concerns about what they said were “sexually explicit” books, and two others spoke in support of the libraries they worked for.
“I personally do not approve of these kinds of materials,” said June Matheny from Little Rock. “If a parent wants their children to see this, they want to indoctrinate them on what most of us do not want, let them go and check it out themselves. I’m not for censorship … but I am opposed to anything being where my children can see them.”
Matheny said she is a grandmother of a 7- and 3-year-old, and she has stopped taking them to libraries in Little Rock and instead relies on the Imagination Library.
Friday’s speakers referenced “All Boys Aren’t Blue” and “Gender Queer,” two books frequently mentioned by Rapert and others who have sought to defund public libraries or force them to change how they handle controversial materials regarding minors. Both books contain themes of gender expression and are quasi-memoirs about the authors.
David Nayler, a member of the Conway School Board, told the library board Friday that he received pushback when the district removed two “sexually explicit” books from school libraries in 2022. Despite the reaction, Nayler said he would do it all again.
“It’s not a Republican thing. It’s not a Democrat thing. It’s not a political thing,” Nayler said. “It’s a common sense issue, and our children here … our children’s mental health is probably at an all time low. This stuff is not healthy, there’s no reason that the taxpayers’ money should go to this material.”
Both books the school board removed had transgender characters.
Clare Graham, director of the Malvern-Hot Springs County Library, said libraries have a “tremendous community impact” in the state and measures are already in place to ensure that materials are in age appropriate sections.
“Professional librarians are best equipped to make decisions about the library’s collection based on the needs and the interest of our community,” Graham said. “We need continued support; we need continued funding.”
Mississippi County Library System Director Lowell Walters provided a lengthy written speech to members and read portions of it aloud.
“My personal bias is moderated by allowing all citizens to develop collections and programming as the citizens care to participate,” Walters wrote. “Such tolerance brings a potpourri of perspectives to be considered and then accepted or rejected by the individual.”
Walters asked library board members to “continue to stand for tolerance and to strike down motions and measures that seek to dictate a false sense of security for thought and belief. Truth and reality always emerge in the long run.”
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