Little Rock, AR– Appointees of the Arkansas State Library Board began to argue at a recent meeting discussing if they can withhold state funding from libraries for displaying books members deemed as inappropriate.
The dispute began as Jason Rapert, a board member began to discus two books: “All Boys Aren’t Blue,” by George M. Johnson and “Gender Queer,” by Maia Kobabe. Both books were scrutinized by Rapert.
Rapert said he found both books on a website known as takebacktheclassroom.com, a website that displays books they believe should not be shown in classrooms or available to children.
The debacle came as Rapert pushed for a motion that was rejected at the previous meeting, a motion to suspend distribution of funds or payments to libraries that allow unrestricted access to books and other materials that contain sexually explicit, obscene or pornographic materials to minors as described in Act 372 of 2023.
Rapert then read pieces from the two books, after asking members to do so, in which they rejected.
Shari Bales, a board member interjected asking what relevance this has to the agenda.
“The relevance is that you’re giving millions of dollars to people in Arkansas for libraries, and you are fighting us from keeping pornographic material out in front of these kids,” Rapert replied.
Bales denied the claim, stating, “You know who’s fighting us? The Legislature.”
Rapert, then, denied that claim. Bales replying, “Yes, they are, because they cannot effectively write a law that will stand up in court,” referencing a preliminary injunction issued last year.
Bales’ was arguing that Rapert was “asking this board to do something that we do not have the authority to do.”
Rapert, also a former state senator quoted Library Board bylaw: “The Board shall act as the policy-making and responsible body for the Arkansas State Library and its functions as defined by Act 489 of 1979.”
Both continued to argue, untile later, Bales told Rapert to, “You are standing in the wrong room. You need to go back and run for office if you want this changed,” she said. “You need to talk to Dan Sullivan if you want to change this law.”
That’s when, Rapert claimed he had talked to other state lawmakers who said if the board doesn’t “won’t do their job,” state lawmakers would get rid of the board and allow the Arkansas Department of Education to take over.
Rapert made a motion, different than the last, to suspend all distribution of funds or payments to any library actively suing the State of Arkansas or Arkansas tax payers pending the final outcome of litigation in state or federal court.
He then made another motion to withold funding from any library in the State of Arkansas that gives children access to the books posted on the website until they receive proof the books are segregated from the hands of minors.
Both motions were not seconded, meaning they failed.
Other members of the board spoke in dislike of the motion. Lupe Peña de Martínez, a board member who opposed both motions said, “‘I told you not to’ (a snippet from one of the books) is exactly what our students need to hear as I said the last time [last board meeting] when somebody has not lived physical or sexual abuse, they don’t know it’s like these behaviors are normalized and so for some students these books are exactly the point to go happened to me is not OK. Let me go get help.” Other members spoke in agreement of that statement.
Rapert said he will continue making motions until it passes, his term expires in 2029.