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HomeMy WebLinkAbout06-17-2024-BLT-PUBLIC COMMENTS2 This is essentially propaganda, as we know that we have a major issue in the country right now related to teens who are confused. And, they might not have been originally confused, but there is so much propaganda put in their face, like this material, that they become confused, which leads to anxiety along with a host of other issues. Just last week, the American College of Pediatrics (ACP) published a declaration urging mainstream American medical associates like the Academy of Pediatrics to STOP supporting the so-called “gender affirming” care for youth. And I quote: "As physicians, together with nurses, psychotherapists and behavioral health clinicians, other health professionals, scientists, researchers, and public health and policy professionals, we have serious concerns about the physical and mental health effects of the current protocols promoted for the care of children and adolescents in the United States who express discomfort with their biological sex," the declaration states. They go on to say: "Psychotherapy for underlying mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, and autism, as well as prior emotional trauma or abuse should be the first line of treatment for these vulnerable children experiencing discomfort with their biological sex." Additionally, UK's National Health Services has put gender affirmation surgeries for minors on hold. Why are we embracing books related to gender affirmation when other countries are not supporting it? So, there are two scenarios for this book right now based on its placement: 1. A teen (without a fully developed brain and ability to make decisions) stumbles upon the book and is pushing messaging that is promoting gender dysphoria, which could lead to confusion on their end, which could move into their own gender dysphoria at some point and eventually lead to other long-term medical treatments. And, if they are white, they leave feeling bad or that their skin color is bad somehow. And, if they aren’t, they leave thinking that any white males are now bad. 2. A teen is seeking out this book and may feel that they identify with the characters in the book in some way. If that is the case, then that conversation absolutely needs to include their parent, and they should have their parent get the book for them in the adult section, where it belongs, where individuals with fully developed brains and decision-making abilities who ARE NOT MINORS and are not under the guardianship of their parents, can find it. Additionally, the racism piece in this book should not be overlooked. Think about the young white teens reading this book - what are they to think about themselves after reading it? They can’t change their skin color, they certainly won’t feel good about their skin color after reading it and it is pure racism. The library should not be supporting racism and hate on any ethnicity on any level - it is unacceptable. And, this idea was supported in the last meeting by moving “Not my Idea” to the adult section because of its racism. This book is inappropriate for any minors, includes adult topics and conversation and needs to be moved to the adult section immediately, or removed completely given the racism that is included within the book. I appreciate you listening and considering this. Kindly, Sydni Webb June 16, 2024 Dear Newport Beach Library Board Trustees: I am writing to you regarding the numerous books that you have been attempting to make decisions about by removing or relocating them based on a small loud vocal group of people who would like to control the freedoms of others. Specifically, the FREEDOM TO READ! I am not going to argue my opinion on each and every book that is thrown your way because what you are trying to do is neither sustainable or legal. And it is a waste of yours and our precious time that should be used actually doing positive things for our community, things that matter to everyone. You are making decisions for the community that you are supposed to serve, based on a loud minority of people trying to persuade you. Then you are deciding based on your own ‘feelings’ and comfort level with the topics. You are acting like the majority of the Supreme Court of the United States who is making decisions solely based on their personal ideals. You cannot do this. Think of what it would be like, if say, let’s do away with Sunday Church Services because it makes some of us uncomfortable. Not a good idea? I urge this Board to uphold the law and reject these calls to limit the ideas available to children. I support Newport Beach Director of Library Services Melissa Hartson’s decisions as she is a trained professional in Library issues and you are not. Respectfully, Ruth Hargiss Volunteer and Community member of Newport Mesa School District Grandparent of Newport Beach student Volunteer for Friends of the Library Costa Mesa HEALTHY DEMOCRACIES DO NOT BAN BOOKS 2 “Alice Austen Lived Here" by Alex Gino contains extremely unhealthy examples of child- adult relationships. Grooming children for early sexual exploration is prevalent in our culture today through the media. However, tax supported schools should not be oƯering this kind of book to children. The book review companies with their reviews do not represent the views of parents and taxpayers in NMUSD as evidenced by the parents who have taken the time to file complaints. "What Is White Privilege?" by Leigh Ann Erickson presents critical race theory--a recent and very controversial ideology which is not age appropriate for children. Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. fought for civil rights and gains have been made and there is more to do, but there is nothing wrong with his theory that people should be judged by the “content of their character” and not “the color of their skin”. This book divides, leaves kids questioning their skin color, and is too philosophical for a young mind to comprehend. Thank you for your consideration of these three books. Wendy B. Leece Wendy Leece “The test of the morality of a society is what it does for its children.” Dietrich Bonhoeffer 2 Parents have the right to high quality free public education by qualified and well-educated teachers and librarians who use science and facts, not fiction to teach. Parents have the right for their children to learn real American history, not whitewashed history. I am quite confident parents have the wisdom, strength and ability to choose their own children’s books and provide the proper oversight of their children’s reading. Trust parents. Trust Librarians. Leave these books alone! 1. Alice Austen Lived Here, by Alex Gino 2. It's Perfectly Normal, by Robie H. Harris 3. What Is White Privilege? by Leigh Ann Erickson Thank you for your consideration and please remember, “Don’t Tread On Me!” means NOT restricting personal freedom. Do not join the mass hysteria infecting other communities. Stay true to American values. Sincerely, L Miller June 17, 2024, BLT Agenda Item Comments These comments on Newport Beach Board of Library Trustees agenda items are submitted by: Jim Mosher Item No. 4. Minutes of the May 20, 2024, Board of Library Trustees Meeting The passages in italics are from the draft minutes, with corrections suggested in strikeout underline format. Page 1 (handwritten page 56 of agenda packet), Staff Present: The minutes later indicate (on page 2) that Assistant City Manager Tara Finnigan and Assistant City Attorney Yolanda Summerhill also participated. Shouldn’t they be listed? Page 2 (handwritten page 57 of agenda packet), Item III.1: “Chair Watkins stated the Board of Trustees would be moving into Closed Session with Assistant City Manager Tara Finnigan to review the performance of the Director of Library Services for the past year.” [comment: I do not recall the announcement, but I thought that, unlike on April 15, Director Hartson was to be included in those attending her evaluation. It also seems Assistant City Attorney Yolanda Summerhill was present.] Page 3 (handwritten page 58 of agenda packet), paragraph 1, sentence 4: “He read both the titles that are being appealed.” [The word “both” is inconsistent with the previous statement that three titles were being appealed.] Page 3 (handwritten page 58 of agenda packet), last complete sentence: “Accelerated Reader also takes into account factors that produces produce an interest level.” Page 4 (handwritten page 59 of agenda packet): The repeated notations of “[Unidentified Speaker]” in the draft copy may have been intended as a placeholder pending possible identification. Assuming they remain unidentified, it would see the placeholder should be replaced with “An unidentified speaker” in the adopted minutes. Page 6 (handwritten page 61 of agenda packet), full paragraph 3, sentence 2: “Not The Board is not dealing with situations in which things are forced upon people.” [? The draft sentence is incomplete.] Page 6 (handwritten page 61 of agenda packet), full paragraph 5, sentence 1: “Library Services Director Hartson answered there is not currently a separate Children’s nonfiction collection, there is a young adult/teen nonfiction collection, and an adult nonfiction collection.” [??: This is inconsistent with the following sentence, which says the book in question is in the “Children’s Nonfiction collection” (and it is cataloged that way). Is the first sentence trying to say there is “not currently a physically separate Children’s nonfiction collection”? And is that true since the catalog suggests there is?] June 17, 2024, BLT agenda item comments - Jim Mosher Page 2 of 5 Page 11 (handwritten page 66 of agenda packet), sentence 1: “Library Services Director Melissa Hartson provided information regarding the original evaluation decision for “Not My Idea” which can be found on Handwritten Pages 25-41 of the Agenda Packet.” [I don’t know what was said, but the original decision (minus its attachment of the Collection Development Policy) was on page 31 of the May 20, 2024, packet. The entire agenda item spanned pages 28-41. Pages 25-27 were the last pages of the previous item.] Page 11 (handwritten page 66 of agenda packet), paragraph 1, sentences 6 and 8: “In recognition of its literary merit, the title has received many acknowledgements: the California Department of Education has included it in its recommended literature list for the current school year for a grade level span of third through fifth grade. … NewportMesa Unified School District’s accelerated readers, student reading achievement and assessment tool established the book as a level 2.8, meaning it is written in a way that is understandable to individuals who have a reading comprehension skill typical of a student nearing third grade.” Page 12 (handwritten page 67 of agenda packet), last paragraph, sentence 4: “This book is meant to influence values to release more so than to teach.” [? I am struggling to understand the comment this sentence is intended to summarize, particularly its use of “to release.”] Page 13 (handwritten page 68 of agenda packet), full paragraph 1, sentence 1: “Trustee Castro commented that she read the book several times because the first time she read it she was taken back aback that it was in the Children’s section.” Page 13 (handwritten page 68 of agenda packet), full paragraph 4: “Vice Chair Larson commented she did not like the book, and it made her feel uncomfortable, but it did point out that it would be nice to have books that were able to grab people’s attention and educate the history that many people have denied. This book does not say that you’re bad if your skin is white. It talks about whiteness as a concept. What caused many issues historically was white people thinking they were superior. This book holds an important value, and it does make the reader think and she believed it should not be moved.” [? There seems to be a word missing in the last sentence.] Page 16 (handwritten page 71 of agenda packet), last paragraph: “Staff Library Services Manager Rebecca Lightfoot explained staff are requesting the Board approve the operating Budget for the Library provided in Attachment A, which can be found on Handwritten Page 91.” [? The paragraph is unattributed. I believe Manager Lightfoot was speaking.] Page 18 (handwritten page 73 of agenda packet), paragraph 3 from end, last sentence: “Mr. Mosher suggested the City Arts Commission might be a good resource in having a say about marketing efforts for the library programming.” [If I said this, it is not what I intended. I was attempting to say I thought the City Arts Commission should have input to the content of arts programming at the libraries, including the Sunday Musicales.] June 17, 2024, BLT agenda item comments - Jim Mosher Page 3 of 5 Page 21 (handwritten page 76 of agenda packet), paragraph 7: ”Jim Mosher commented he believed the Balboa Branch Library is an appropriate location for the donation regardless of the style. It helps identify the Branch as a Library.” Page 22 (handwritten page 77 of agenda packet), paragraph 1: “Jerold Kappel’s Kappel (Foundation CEO) provided comment that according to the State Librarian, it is not included in the California Budget for 2025.” Page 22 (handwritten page 77 of agenda packet), Item 17, paragraph 1: “Chair Watkins stated the reported report was located on Handwritten page 122 of the staff report.” Page 22 (handwritten page 77 of agenda packet), Item 17, paragraph 1, sentence 2: “Only curbside service only will be available to the public.” Page 23 (handwritten page 78 of agenda packet), Item XIV, paragraph 1: “Secretary Kramer stated that she will be absent from the June 17,meeting.” [delete comma] Item No. 10. Children's Collection Development Policy Review This seems to me to be an improvement over the version presented in the May 20 agenda packet. Nonetheless, it continues to contain a number of what appear to be inadvertent typographical errors. Referring to the redlined version (Attachment B) they include: Agenda page 103, paragraph 2 from end, sentence 2: “The Coordinator is responsible for developing proposed lists of materials for procurement for the Children’s prior to acquiring any materials for the Children’s Collection.” [Alternatively, if the deleted phrase is retained, “Collection” needs to be added at its end. Also, since “proposed lists” is capitalized later, it should probably be capitalized here.] Agenda page 104, under “Additional guidelines”: To look more professional, I think the sub-guidelines (the bullet points) should be written in a consistent style, such as: ● All questions: “Is the subject matter age appropriate….?”, “Are the illustrations … age appropriate?”, etc. ● Or all similarly phrased statements: “The subject matter should be age appropriate …”, “The illustrations should be age appropriate …”, “Consideration should be given to …”, etc. Setting aside the clashing styles, bullet 1 was presumably intended to read: “...based on developing cognitive,emotion emotional, and behavioral capacity typical for the age or age group.” Agenda page 105, under “Third Party Vendors,” last sentence: “Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein with respect to third party contracting,… ” June 17, 2024, BLT agenda item comments - Jim Mosher Page 4 of 5 Substantively, I think “age appropriateness” should work not only in the direction of material being too mature, but also in the direction of being not mature enough. For example, at the May 20 meeting a book intended to be read with parents to children aged 3 to 6 was ordered moved to the Teens section. I would think a 19-year old browsing the Teen collection, and believing themselves to have outgrown picture books, would find that an odd title to encounter there and assume it had been misfiled. It likewise seems unlikely a parent searching for a book to read to a 3 to 6-year old would think to look for one in the Teen section. Item No. 11. Budget Amendments for Fiscal Year 2023-24 I believe it is correct, and if so it seems important to note, that although the budget has been “revised,” these additions are in a special category and, unlike other budgeted amounts, don’t roll back into the General Fund if unspent at the end of the fiscal year. Item No. 12. Approval of Site Placement for Sister City Donation At their June 13 meeting, the full Arts Commission voted to recommend the City Council accept this work. I hope the Board will facilitate this by allowing its placement in the Passport Office, which seems a very appropriate location. Item No. 14. Friends of the Library Wish List and Acceptance of Donation It appears from the report that Library staff created the Wish List and has already presented it to the Friends, and is now asking the Board to accept the gift needed to fund it. I would think the Board should have approved the list before it was presented to the Friends. Did they do so? Item No. 15. Newport Beach Public Library Foundation Wish List Unlike the preceding item, it looks like the Board is being asked to approve this Wish List before it is presented to the Foundation for possible funding. But according to sub-item 9 in the following item, it looks like the list has already been presented and approved by the Foundation Board. It might be noted that the magnitude of the gift is rather modest compared to much of the past history in which the Foundation was asked for more than the Friends, rather than less. I assume the change is because many of the gifts the Foundation receives are going to what is now a non-library City Lecture Hall. June 17, 2024, BLT agenda item comments - Jim Mosher Page 5 of 5 Item No. 18. Library Foundation Liaison Reports Regarding sub-item 4, the wording is unclear. Will the restriction of video access to Foundation members be for three months, after which they will be available to all? Or will even members be able to access them for only three months, after which no one can? And why would such a provision be added to all contracts, and not just those of lecturers who demand it? Honorable Library Board Members June 14th 2024 I’m writing to request that you reassign the book, “It’s Perfectly Normal” from the 10 and older section of the library to the adult section at your upcoming board meeting on 6-17-2024. To begin, the illustrations in this book are disturbing and pornographic. To expose depictions of women bent over showing their anus to 10 year olds is extremely offensive and an attempt at grooming. Also, the narrative on “How to Masturbate” is beyond explanation. These are subjects for parents to discuss with their children not a provocateur who is posing as an author. Furthermore, the board’s reliance on the advice and recommendations is not acceptable. We are a unique community which the Library Board is appointed to represent, East coast book review entities do know or represent our values. Book review companies are paid by publishers and authors to review their books. That creates a conflict of interest and is a demonstration of Quid Pro Qua. The board should appoint a community committee to review books of concern. This is the way it is handled in Huntington Beach. The legacy of the Newport Beach Library Board will be determined by the books you allow our children to read. Sincerely, Bill Dunlap | Founder