From Christina Garner
Prattville Resident
Read Freely Alabama, Prattville/Autauga County Leader
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When I was a baby, my parents moved over 2,000 miles to Prattville to seek better opportunities and a safe place to raise their young and growing family. I chose to stay in the area for college and even met my husband here. While our careers took us away for a few years, we chose to come back to Prattville to raise our son because of its great schools and opportunities for our family. We own property, pay taxes, vote in local elections, and participate in community events and organizations. We love our safe, beautiful, welcoming community full of people who share our values, and we intend to stay for a long time, but lately, I have become concerned with the growing influence of a movement aiming to take away the rights of Prattville and Autauga County citizens at our public libraries.
A group calling themselves Clean Up Alabama (CUA), which began as Clean Up Prattville but has since expanded, is threatening citizens’ First Amendment and parental rights by seeking to restrict or remove access to library materials they deem objectionable. They claim that their mission is protecting children from sexually explicit content in public libraries, but they and their supporters have made it clear that their real goal is to remove any materials they disagree with, even if the books have no sexual content whatsoever. In November, CUA hosted a public roundtable event, during which their leadership applauded one guest speaker’s call to “burn the freakin’ books.” Locally and statewide, CUA supporters have been accused of bullying and harassment by library staff and board members and have pressured libraries to relocate and remove books. One book was even removed from the Foley Public Library’s ADULT section. As of writing, there are only 165 followers on the Clean Up Alabama Facebook page, but despite their small numbers, this vocal minority’s influence here is growing.
The Autauga-Prattville Public Library (APPL) Board of Trustees attempted to address CUA’s concerns. They responded to formal book challenges and began requiring adult supervision for patrons under 16, but CUA was not satisfied. CUA almost succeeded in pushing through a Prattville City Council proposal tying library funding to APPL’s compliance with book challenges. In November, after mounting pressure from CUA supporters, the Autauga County Commission appointed four CUA sympathizers to the APPL Board of Trustees without giving the public prior notice to voice their opinions. Historically, the Autauga County Commission has deferred to the Library Board’s recommendations of carefully vetted candidates before making appointments and had vowed to select unaffiliated and diverse candidates. However, in November, they disregarded precedent and rushed through the appointment process, placing four CUA supporters on the Board who are neither demographically nor ideologically diverse. After those appointments, CUA’s executive director bragged on Facebook that CUA has “four of the seven [Board seats] and have the majority!” She indicated that the stacked board intended to begin enacting new policy immediately.
Read Freely Alabama is opposed to the denial of Constitutional freedoms for any of the citizens of Autauga County and Prattville. The materials CUA finds objectionable might not be what we would personally choose for ourselves or our children, but it is not up to a small group to decide for our entire community. No one wants the government-funded library telling parents what is and is not appropriate for their children. Restricting or removing library material has serious First Amendment ramifications. Autauga County citizens value our Constitutional and parental rights with limited government intervention. We must not let our values be trampled on by one small but vocal group.
Unfortunately, the traditional appointment process has been upended. We can no longer rely upon precedent given this unprecedented situation. After the mass resignations of previous Board members, leaving a brand-new board with no experience, their recommendations wouldn’t offer needed insight. Additionally, given CUA influence with the current appointees, concerned citizens would like to see diversity of ideology in future appointees. With the speed of recent developments, and impending holidays, Council members need time to vet candidates for themselves. In light of this, I humbly suggest on behalf of Read Freely Alabama and the citizens of Prattville that the City Council table their appointments until February.
If you are interested in joining the cause of Read Freely Alabama, visit ReadFreelyAlabama.org or follow us on Instagram @readfreelyal.
