Posted on Dec 26, 2023
In Missouri, years of efforts to ban books take a toll on school librarians: 'It's too painful'
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Mernie Maestas, a librarian at the Wentzville School District, sits with her husband Doug while they brainstorm Christmas gift ideas for their children and grandchildren on Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2023, at their home in Foristell, Mo. The Wentzville school district has arguably been subject to some of the most intense efforts to remove books from libraries and classrooms. Maestas says the policies are threatening free speech, public schools and even our democracy.
The efforts to remove books from school libraries started with parents in local districts and eventually led to state legislatures. After two years of controversy, one Missouri school librarian says her colleagues are leaving the profession because it has become too painful.
Mernie Maestas remembers when the recent movement to ban books from libraries started in the Wentzville School District, where she is an elementary school librarian. The first book challenge came from a community member who didn’t have kids in the district’s schools, Maestas said.
Soon, the effort spread. Parents became concerned and started to speak out against school library books they said were “sexually explicit.”
“And, gosh, I don't blame parents,” Maestas said. “I feel like the way it was initiated was done in a way to foster fear. And every parent wants to protect their child.”
From there, Maestas said the effort snowballed. Book challenges were on the rise in school districts across the St. Louis region and the country. Soon, state legislatures took on the issue. In Missouri, hundreds of books were removed from school libraries after a new law made it a criminal offense to give students books with visual depictions deemed “sexually explicit.”
The efforts to remove books from school libraries started with parents in local districts and eventually led to state legislatures. After two years of controversy, one Missouri school librarian says her colleagues are leaving the profession because it has become too painful.
Mernie Maestas remembers when the recent movement to ban books from libraries started in the Wentzville School District, where she is an elementary school librarian. The first book challenge came from a community member who didn’t have kids in the district’s schools, Maestas said.
Soon, the effort spread. Parents became concerned and started to speak out against school library books they said were “sexually explicit.”
“And, gosh, I don't blame parents,” Maestas said. “I feel like the way it was initiated was done in a way to foster fear. And every parent wants to protect their child.”
From there, Maestas said the effort snowballed. Book challenges were on the rise in school districts across the St. Louis region and the country. Soon, state legislatures took on the issue. In Missouri, hundreds of books were removed from school libraries after a new law made it a criminal offense to give students books with visual depictions deemed “sexually explicit.”
In Missouri, years of efforts to ban books take a toll on school librarians: 'It's too painful'
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
..."Speaking out
In September, a Wentzville School Board member proposed revisions to the district’s library policy that would remove requirements for school libraries to reflect diversity and instead direct librarians to follow district curriculum and Missouri law.
At a board meeting in July, a community member called for the change, saying it was necessary to align district policy with the law that resulted in the removal of books across the state.
“The district cannot continue to violate the law and put our children at risk for exposure to sexually explicit content,” community member Lindi Williford said, citing the presence of “This Book Is Gay” in school libraries as evidence that the law had been violated.
“I really think we need to write a board policy to protect our children and protect our staff, and let’s be honest, we’re all really sick and tired of talking about this,” Williford continued.
Maestas decided to speak out at a recent school board meeting for the first time against the proposed revisions. She is especially worried about the removal of diversity requirements.
“We have to have diversity in our libraries,” Maestas said. “We have to. All people have the right to be recognized or appreciated, to see themselves in the collection. And students have the right and the privilege of being able to step into the shoes of someone unlike themselves, to experience their life through 300 pages.”
The school board has indefinitely tabled the policy change.
Looking back at the past two years, Maestas doesn’t know what is behind the focus on libraries, but she thinks it is part of a broader attack on truth, public education and even democracy.
“Libraries are at the heart of our democracy,” Maestas said. “People have those First Amendment rights to learn what they want to learn, to hear what they want to hear, to say what they want to say. When you can attack those First Amendment rights and you can remove the sources of valid information and valid education from everyone, then you have the power.”
..."Speaking out
In September, a Wentzville School Board member proposed revisions to the district’s library policy that would remove requirements for school libraries to reflect diversity and instead direct librarians to follow district curriculum and Missouri law.
At a board meeting in July, a community member called for the change, saying it was necessary to align district policy with the law that resulted in the removal of books across the state.
“The district cannot continue to violate the law and put our children at risk for exposure to sexually explicit content,” community member Lindi Williford said, citing the presence of “This Book Is Gay” in school libraries as evidence that the law had been violated.
“I really think we need to write a board policy to protect our children and protect our staff, and let’s be honest, we’re all really sick and tired of talking about this,” Williford continued.
Maestas decided to speak out at a recent school board meeting for the first time against the proposed revisions. She is especially worried about the removal of diversity requirements.
“We have to have diversity in our libraries,” Maestas said. “We have to. All people have the right to be recognized or appreciated, to see themselves in the collection. And students have the right and the privilege of being able to step into the shoes of someone unlike themselves, to experience their life through 300 pages.”
The school board has indefinitely tabled the policy change.
Looking back at the past two years, Maestas doesn’t know what is behind the focus on libraries, but she thinks it is part of a broader attack on truth, public education and even democracy.
“Libraries are at the heart of our democracy,” Maestas said. “People have those First Amendment rights to learn what they want to learn, to hear what they want to hear, to say what they want to say. When you can attack those First Amendment rights and you can remove the sources of valid information and valid education from everyone, then you have the power.”
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