Parents, advocates file federal lawsuit over Prattville library policies

A federal lawsuit has been filed against the Autauga-Prattville Public Library Board of Trustees claiming that the board’s actions to move some books from the children’s section amount to censorship and violate the First Amendment.

Read Freely Alabama, the Alabama Library Association and three parents acting on behalf of their children filed the suit in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Alabama. They are asking the court to stop a series of “harmful “policies put in place by the board. The 20-page suit was filed Thursday afternoon, court records show.

The library has been embroiled in controversy for months after some complained about books they say deal with sexual subject matter being displayed in the children’s section. Read Freely Alabama has opposed moving any books. The board says it is not censoring books, just moving books with sexual subject matter to the adult section.

The selection criteria approved by the board has restricted books with themes about and characters of diverse backgrounds, especially the LGBTQ community, opponents of the board’s actions say.

The lawsuit asks the court to grant temporary and permanent injunctions of the policies. It levels claims of censorship, alleging that books the board disapproves of have been removed from the shelves. The suit alleges that the board’s actions violate the First Amendment by limiting what books children and adults have access to in a public library.

“This is about who should get to decide what books our kids get to read — parents or politicians,” said Angie Hayden of Read Freely Alabama. “Though we come from across the religious and political spectrum, the group who came together to take action in the case share an intense pride in our home state — and its deep history in the fight for civil rights — and we cannot sit on the sidelines at this critical moment.”

Ray Boles, chairman of the board of trustees said Thursday afternoon he was unaware the lawsuit had been filed before being contacted by the media for comment. He declined to comment and said he has not received a copy of the suit.

More: Unraveling the tangled Autauga-Prattville library controversy: What's next?

Opponents to the policies label the board’s actions as “extremist.”

“The Autauga-Prattville Public Library Board of Trustees’ clear partnership with the Moms for Liberty-adjacent Clean Up Alabama makes them the latest in a concerning trend of far-right efforts to suppress books that reflect perspectives they don’t agree with in communities across the country,” said Craig Scott, President of the Alabama Library Association. “As state legislators rush to expand on the policies put in place in Prattville, it is crucial that the courts make clear that in our democracy, you cannot discriminate or restrict the freedom to read.”

Plaintiffs are being represented by Democracy Forward, a non-profit legal organization, and Wiggins-Childs, a Birmingham-based law firm specializing in civil rights cases.

“The freedom to read is fundamental to democracy, and extremist efforts to impose their personal beliefs on policies that dictate what books can be in public libraries is dangerous for democracy,” said Skye Perryman, president and chief executive officer of Democracy Forward. “Democracy Forward is very honored to work with families and librarians in Alabama to stop this extremist attempt to censor books.”

Contact Montgomery Advertiser reporter Marty Roney at [email protected].

This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Parents, advocates file federal suit over Prattville library policies