'Do what's right'

Coeur d’Alene Public Library trustees were both criticized and praised Wednesday for having a variety of books available to children.

Some who attended the library board's meeting said there are inappropriate books with sexual content, while others said it was up to parents to decide what their kids could read.

The meeting was attended by about 30 people, including two police officers who sat in the back of the Library Community Room.

It was calm for the most part, with library critics raising their voices as they made their arguments.

Bev Moss of Coeur d’Alene said she supported the library.

“There are families across the spectrum that depend on our library, especially for their children,” she said.

Terry Montanye of Coeur d’Alene said freedom of choice allows people to develop critical thinking skills “absolutely necessary” in today’s world.

He said the library is there to provide materials and services to all people.

“We should all support that mission,” he said.

But others disagreed.

A group of citizens organized as Clean Books 4 Kids is petitioning the Coeur d'Alene Library to refrain from using LGBTQ+ for future Kid's Book Club selections and include a “controversial topic” disclaimer on future selections that contain such material.

The library's Kid's Book Club is for children ages 9 to 12.

As of Wednesday, the Clean Books 4 Kids online petition had 620 signatures.

The petition states the library featured books with LGBTQ+ themes for Kid's Book Club "without alerting parents of the controversial material."

Books it listed included "The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise" by Dan Geimenhart, "When You Trap a Tiger" by Tae Keller and "The War That Saved My Life" by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley.

Marianna Cochran of Rathdrum told the board “change is coming for you.”

She cited the names of several conservatives who were elected to state and local posts in November.

"Voters are rejecting the status quo and you are part of that status quo," Cochran said.

She said the library offers children's books that sexualize minors, feminize boys and promote gender change.

She said the board can dismiss their concerns, but “our voices extend far beyond this room.”

A man who went only by Viper said they don’t believe in censorship, but do believe in protecting children.

He said placing a book with inappropriate sexual content at eye level of children in the library is “actually planting a seed in an impressionable child’s mind, which is wrong. It’s totally wrong.”

Cecil Kelly of Coeur d’Alene said he’s been using the library for 70 years.

“I trust you to do what's right for our community, our children and for their parents,” he told the board.

He said children who are gay or transgender often find themselves rejected by society, or face people who want to deny them access to certain books.

They need information to transition into society and “and not to make them feel like outsiders,” Kelly said.

Bette Ammon, who retired as Coeur d’Alene librarian in 2020, said the library is functioning well and providing books for all kinds of people.

She said there were lots of voices in the room about what was right or wrong for children to read.

“Let people choose for their own families,” she said.