HUNTINGTON BEACH, California (LifeSiteNews) — Minor children will be protected from sexually inappropriate content in public libraries in Huntington Beach, California, following a recent city council resolution.
Council members voted in favor of creating a committee of 21 citizens to screen books for inclusion in the children’s section of the public library. The resolution is the result of a months-long process of working with city employees to come up with a solution to a problem.
It comes after inappropriate books were found available to kids in the city libraries. One city council member presented a slideshow of the pornographic content available in the libraries. (LifeSiteNews is not linking to it due to the vulgar nature of the content).
The resolution prohibits sexually explicit content from being placed in the kid’s section of a city library or other facility. Any sexual content that a minor seeks to check out will require the permission of a parent or guardian as well.
Councilwoman Gracey Van Der Mark led the child-protection resolution. “The whole goal is to make our libraries the safest place for our children,” she said at the meeting. “I’m simply asking … to move books that are sexually explicit from the children’s section to the adult section.”
The resolution does not prohibit the books from being sold in the city, but rather ensures taxpayer funds are being used in a judicious and appropriate manner, while respecting parental authority.
Nevertheless, several groups claimed the resolution created an “unconstitutional censorship regime.”
“The First Amendment Coalition, the ACLU of Southern California, and the Freedom to Read Foundation strongly oppose,” the groups wrote in opposition. The groups claim the First Amendment’s guarantee of free speech requires sexually explicit content be included in libraries.
The groups are concerned that restricting the books, often pornographic in nature, would harm gender-confused minors and those who have same-sex attractions who want to read books without their parents’ knowledge.
“While some minors can and do seek parental guidance or support on such matters, others are unable to do so safely,” the group stated. “Free access to these educational materials helps ensure that LGBTQ youth feel safe and supported.”
Parents and concerned citizens have been in an ongoing battle to place reasonable limits on minors having access to pornographic books in libraries and schools.
Notably, some school boards have ordered citizens not to read from these books, due to the content in the books, even while the members defend kids having access to the materials.
While the American Library Association (ALA) says it opposes the removal or even relocation of books in the name of free speech, it has been caught advising librarians on how to stop pro-faith events with Christian actor Kirk Cameron. The ALA is currently led by a self-described “Marxist lesbian.”