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Dear Editor:
The Hamilton East Public Library has been promoting inappropriate books to children.
One such book includes explicit pornographic images of people engaged in sexual acts and, in addition, it encourages children to talk to strangers online about sex, contrary to the advice of local, state, and federal law enforcement.
Another book contains a checklist of sexual activities – many of which most adults have never heard of – that goes on for a full five pages. The checklist asks children to decide which activities they would be interested in fantasizing about or participating in.
Months ago, we asked the library to move these particular books to the adult collection. (We never asked that they be banned or removed from the library). On Feb. 4, one board member moved that the books be relocated to the adult collection, but not one of the other six board members seconded her motion. After additional public outcry, the books were nevertheless finally moved. Click here to read the minutes from the meeting.
But the library leadership never admitted fault, never held any staff members accountable, and in fact they astoundingly claimed that they moved the books for reasons entirely unrelated to our concerns.
Additionally, library leadership has continued the sexualization of children by seeking to give kids taxpayer-funded copies of other inappropriate books: one that promotes drug usage and sexualized cross-dressing and one that talks about pornography and other sexual topics that cannot be tastefully described in these pages. Still another book they sought to distribute to kids uses the F-word 48 times.
They want to hand out these books to children, at taxpayer expense, and without requiring parental permission.
One of the six library board members who has obstructed our efforts to fix these problems was appointed by the Noblesville School Board. Another was appointed by the HSE School Board. When we brought our concerns to the attention of these school boards, they ignored us. HSE Board President Julie Chambers said in an email that she saw no reason to question the performance of her library board member, HSE Board Member Janet Pritchett publicly spoke against moving the books to the adult collection, and Noblesville Board President Joe Forgey completely ignored our plea and unhesitatingly reappointed his library board member.
Ms. Chambers, Ms. Pritchett, and Dr. Forgey are all running for re-election to their respective school boards. Please join me in supporting their opponents. Please vote for Ben Orr, who is running against Ms. Chambers in District 4. Please vote for Dr. Juanita Albright, who is running against Ms. Pritchett in District 2. And, in Noblesville, please vote for Melba Kiser and Misti Ray, who are running against Dr. Forgey.
The candidates I am recommending want to fix the problems at the Hamilton East Public Library. Let’s make it clear to Chambers, Pritchett, and Forgey that we will not tolerate their continued complicity in this sexualization of children.
Chad Carmichael
Author of themillstone.substack.com
Fishers
Thank you Mr. Carmichael for sharing this information.
I do not understand why our society today wants to “sexualize” children. Why are the someones always there with their heinous ideologies and pushing it onto innocent children; to add more
unsuspecting souls to their group and cause another division and diversion to our American culture.
I posed the question of “what did you do in your childhood” to some adults with the average age of 55. We all recalled what we were doing at the age of four onward in our childhood days. We were learning – how to tie shoes, to ride bikes, climbing trees, catching fireflies, pick white clovers to make rings, watching the clouds and guessing what the shapes were, learning to fish, playing with our pets and friends, trading baseball cards, involved in music and sports, working with parents and grandparents on projects, and just growing up with our families, classmates and communities. It was innocent times and thank God it was given to us.
Anyone who takes away the innocence of childhood are criminals. Anyone who would write these unfit pornographic books for children of any age including high school needs to have their brains evaluated.
The library personnel of schools and public libraries should reject any kind of book supporting pornography. It was suggested these books be put in the ‘adult” section. I would toss them into a burn pile.
Amen to the burning of garbage and evil.
Thank you for your insight Mr. Carmichael and for sharing this information. Exposing our children to this type of material is nothing short of evil indoctrination. I support you and will vote against Ms. Chambers, Ms. Pritchett, and Dr. Forgey. I will be supporting their opponents Ben Orr, who is running against Ms. Chambers in District 4. And Dr. Juanita Albright, who is running against Ms. Pritchett in District 2. I will also be voting for Melba Kiser and Misti Ray, in efforts of replacing Dr. Forgey.
I did not see the titles of these supposed bad books. Without a title of the book how is anyone to make an informed opinion?
This opinion piece illustrates the problem with most book banners and their supporters. Nowhere in the article does the writer share the titles of the books so that people can make up their own minds about the content. He also fails to mention that the “children’s books” in question are intended for high school students (who are probably sexually active and/or questioning, anyway) and are located in the Teen Room of the library. He doesn’t bother to mention that at least one of the books is a non-fiction volume aimed at providing factual information about human sexuality. Most people probably don’t bother to follow the link to the library board meeting minutes to learn the facts, nor do they bother to look up information on the one book whose title can be discerned from the minutes, to see what that book is actually like.
Most notably, the author fails to mention that no one under the age of 18 can even get a library card without their parents consent. Those trying to control the books that libraries make available to the general public that they serve are probably staunch defenders of their own personal freedoms. They probably insist that no one can tell them they have to get a vaccine or wear a mask, or tell them how to parent their children. Why, then, do they try to control how everyone in the community chooses to parent their children by taking away reading options? Why do they abdicate their own parenting responsibility by insisting that libraries remove material they personally find offensive, instead of parenting their OWN children to ensure that their own values are being instilled. Instead, they attempt to force their personal values on ALL parents and children in the community.
Since no evidence was included to prove that any of this is true and not just political posturing, how are we to have anything but a knee jerk reaction?
Thats the point – one is expected to take the premise presented as the only truth & needing urgent attention to safeguard children.
That attention would be ; voting for the school board candidates listed by the author.
Specifics or any sort of context regarding the claims would only serve to dilute the desired outcome.
Just another in the ever expanding list of local wannabees who’s personal brand is outrage.
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Just more unsubstantiated posturing by Chad. He wants everyone to take his word for it that these books are bad, but doesn’t give them enough information to actually make an informed decision for themselves. Look up the library minutes and check out the books yourself before you decide anything. And if you don’t want your kids seeing the material, then don’t let them, but don’t force your parenting decisions on everyone else.