A graphic novel published 12 years ago sparked a heated debate among 60 Livingston Parish residents about which content minors should be able to access in libraries.
There is only one copy of the book in the five-branch Livingston Parish Library System. It is currently checked out, according to library records.
On Tuesday night, over a dozen Livingston Parish residents, ranging from local pastors, teachers and library alliance members, debated whether the 2014 graphic novel “This One Summer” by Mariko Tamaki and Jillian Tamaki should remain in the teen section of the parish library.
Many residents who attended the parish library board meeting called for the book to be moved due to its explicit language, including its mention of oral sex and the word “slut.”
While others argued that the book’s content failed to necessarily apply to the Louisiana law that defines minors’ access to sexually explicit materials, saying it did not meet the law’s description of graphic depictions.
Board member Trey Cowell championed moving the book and said the book “is giving the appearance of oral sex.”
Cowell also asked about children’s library card accounts, which allow parents to restrict their children’s access to certain materials.
“A taxpaying parent can walk in here, restrict their 13-year-old from the teen section, and they can’t even use the section that’s dedicated to them because we leave filth in the teen section,” Cowell said.
Board member Patricia Wilson said the board needed to set aside its personal opinions and look at the facts.
“The law … in my opinion, is not detailed enough,” she said. “It’s not noted in the law: the foul language. What’s in this book is kind of a little grey area.”
Wilson eventually voted to move the book, but commented that the move didn’t “align with the law.”
The board voted 6-3 to move the book from the teen section to the adult section. There is only one copy of the novel in the parish-wide library system.
A tense hour-long public comment
Resident Matthew Streeter said moving the book is not censorship, rather “common sense,” and described parts of the book that talked about oral sex
“It’s purposefully explicit for the sake of being explicit,” he said. “It’s forced sexuality. It’s forced indoctrination.”
Public commenter Dylan Whitney said he had not read the book but described it as “an abomination of God’s word” after hearing others discuss the graphic novel.
“Our children shouldn’t be reading that kind of stuff. It’s garbage, and to be honest with you, I think we should just burn the book and get rid of it forever,” he said.
Amanda Jones, parish school system librarian, cited that the graphic novel had won multiple literary awards.
“We’ve had this book in our library for 12 years and not a single complaint until now,” she said.
Jones also brought to the board’s attention that the Tulane First Amendment Law Clinic sent a letter to the library board on Tuesday, asking the board to reject the reclassification.
Law clinic director Bruce Hamilton wrote that the graphic novel does discuss sexuality but does not contain graphic depictions of sexual acts.
“Discomfort with the themes explored in the book does not merit its removal or reclassification, and the tiered library card policy already in place in Livingston libraries obviates any further action by this board,” Hamilton wrote.
