Anchorage’s new chief librarian, Virginia McClure, doesn’t see a problem with young teens reading library books that include graphic instructions on how to have anal sex, explore sexual fantasies and gender identities, create their own personal digital porn or find favorite online pornography sites.
The book, “Let’s Talk About It,” is currently available for children in libraries run by the Municipality of Anchorage. It’s being formally challenged, however, by Anchorage resident Sandra Graham, who claims the library may be violating Alaska State laws against disseminating indecent material to minors.
Graham is the former chief of staff for Mayor Dave Bronson who nominated her to serve as the city’s chief librarian only to have the hard-left Assembly reject her nomination.
Graham’s challenge of the highly sexualized “Let’s Talk About It” book will be considered during the May 17 meeting of the Anchorage Library Advisory Board, although recent moves by Anchorage Assembly have made it difficult – and perhaps impossible – for the library board to remove the book from the children’s section.
The book has stirred intense controversy across the nation and around Alaska. It includes graphic depictions of sexual acts and positions throughout.
The nine-member library board currently has four vacant seats, which Bronson has repeatedly attempted to fill only to have his nominees rejected by the leftist supermajority on the Assembly.
Among the five sitting library board members, three are conservative leaning, which would normally indicate the possibility of removing the objectionable book. On May 9, however, just one week before the library board’s May 17 meeting, the Assembly quickly passed a resolution which prohibits any municipal boards from voting on official business unless a majority of the total seats on the board votes in the affirmative. Now, for the library board to make a final decision on the fate of a book (or to approve anything at all) it needs a unanimous vote of the five sitting members.
Since Library Director McClure has rejected Graham’s challenge to “Let’s Talk About It,” the board has little wiggle room to override her decision.
The book, however, has stirred intense controversy across the nation and around Alaska. It includes graphic depictions of sexual acts and positions throughout, along with comments like, “…there’s nothing wrong with enjoying some porn; it’s a fun sugary treat…” One section of the book actually encourages youth to explore anal sex.
“Both practical and pleasurable, this tight flexible hole serves two purposes!” the book asserts. “This is the entrance to your bowels, the passageway for getting food waste (poop) outta your body. The opening is ALSO chock-full of sensitive nerves, making it a primo erogenous zone for touching and penetrating.”
Remarkably, McClure wrote a lengthy defense of the book in a letter responding to Graham’s formal challenge.
“Upon reading and discussing the book, we agreed that, while not to everyone’s taste, the book is appropriate for ages 14-18, depending on a teen’s maturity,” McClure asserted.
“After receiving your statement, a committee of three librarians was convened to consider your request,” McClure wrote on April 6. “We each read the book carefully, looked at reviews and circulation statistics, and then held a group discussion.”
McClure then went on to quote a host of left-leaning library and book review groups that support the sex book as a source of “crucial information” and “helpful resources” for teens who need to learn about the “complexity of relationships” with “no-nonsense information on sex and sexuality.”
“Upon reading and discussing the book, we agreed that, while not to everyone’s taste, the book is appropriate for ages 14-18, depending on a teen’s maturity,” McClure asserted. “We gave consideration to the cartoon style of the artwork, the high school setting and age of the characters depicted, and the use of relatable language for the target age group. It is fittingly shelved in the Young Adult/Teen section of the library; books for that age range include a deep, broad, and diverse spectrum of titles. The public library acquires materials for a wide range of ages, tastes, values, and interests to meet the needs of our very diverse community. There is no single standard which can be applied to all acquisition decisions. Some materials may be judged primarily in terms of artistic merit or scholarship; others are selected to satisfy recreational or informational needs of the community.”
ALASKA WATCHMAN DIRECT TO YOUR INBOX
Graham responded with a letter to McClure the “Anonymous Members of the Ad Hoc Review Committee.
“I have also read the book carefully and critically, looked at reviews, and held group discussion,” Graham said. “With my expertise and experience as an educator, counselor, parent, grandparent, library patron, and human being, I have to respectfully disagree.”
Graham reiterated her concern that the library’s dissemination of the book may violate Alaska laws against providing indecent sexual material to minors. She also asked the library to involve the city attorney to review the legality of placing the book in the youth section.
McClure declined to involve the city attorney, noting that the attorney has asked the library to go through its full reconsideration process before taking it to that level.
The library board will meet Wednesday, May 17, at 5:30 p.m. to discuss the book. Whether it can make any formal decisions, however, is in question due to the Assembly’s new policy requiring five votes for any official actions.
TAKING ACTION
— The Library Advisory Board Meeting is open to the public. It takes place at 5:30 p.m. on May 17 in the Learning Commons room on the fourth floor of the Loussac Library.
— Those who wish to apply to serve on the library board, can apply here. https://www.muni.org/Departments/Mayor/Boards/Pages/default.aspx
— Click here to contact Anchorage Municipal Attorney Anne Helzer, email Anne.Helzer@anchorage.gov
— To contact the Library Advisory Board, call 907-343-2892 or email DLGOVBCLLibraryAdvisoryBoard@anchorageak.gov
— To contact Library Director Virginia McClure, email virginia.mcclure@anchorageak.gov or call 907-343-2892
37 Comments
Well I hope dunleavy listens in so he can educate the villagers on new ways to sexually abuse their family members! Dump dunleavy!
I believe all school district staff and board members should be wearing body cameras at all times, they are in public positions that are very critical such as police officers and fireman, I believe this is a fair and equitable and our children definitely deserve the protection as long as the leadership decides to hide behind obscure bylaws and go against the wishes of parents who object to this vileness in our schools and libraries, parents want peace of mind and undoubtedly deserve it.
Sounds a lot like Big Government.
What is wrong with these people today. When I was a k8d in high school mom found out books in our library and marched in the library found it and created such a ruckus everyone in the school knew about it. back then it was a tiny spot with 3-4 books total. I’m so happy she’s not alive today to see/hear about this. I’m sure if she did the same today she’d end up in jail. Maybe that’s what it’s going to take to get these liberals heads out of their back side. They know it’s wrong but just have to push it on normal law abiding Christians.
My mother would do the same, bless them both.
I say check out this book then burn it. Wait is that wrong ? so is pushing this sick disgusting book on young children.
Nobody’s pushing anything on you poor persecuted Christians. If you don’t want your children exposed to sex and violence, first toss you bible, then instruct them to avoid certain titles. So easy. Leave the rest of us alone.
Lucinda, please leave us alone.
Does this wackO have children? I sure hope not! Would seem like she doesn’t or she has already corrupted them. Maybe OCS needs to take a good hard look at her! Hell lets put Playboys, Penthouse and Hustler magazines in the library’s too! They actually have them wrapped and covered in grocery stores! Lunatics galore!
Tomorrow, May 18th at 2 p.m. Mat-Su Borough building – no public commenting allowed – but, you will be able to hear a librarian speak for five minutes in support of this book.
Beware your evil deeds against children!! Only pedophiles & sex traffickers would approve of such garbage. Do you not fear God?
What about that fellow in the bible that hosed his two daughters? Is that part of the homeschool curriculum?
Explain “hosed” lucifer!
Lucinda, you keep speaking this lie about that story in the bible. This is, at least, the third time I have seen you tell this lie. Go read that story in God’s Word the Bible and quit listening to Satan.
Yes Lucindafer, explain “hosed”
Let’s get this story straight, shall we? So, a story in the Bible, a book which you believe is a lie, relates an ancient incident of sexual perversion. Based upon this data, you think it is important for the public library to violate the innocents of children and give pornography to them. How you got from A to B is a complete mystery, dear, but then, most of what you post here is equally demented so I suppose we shouldn’t be surprised.
Lucinda, go read Genesis Chapter 19:30-38 to get the real story on Lot and his daughters. I do not know who told you the lies you keep repeating, but now I am trying to help you see that you have been taught lies and want to show you were the truth is.
I’m against the book. More sad government …..imo.
But, does it matter? Even if a kid doesn’t have a phone, he can look at other kid’s phones and they can google this stuff in seconds.
Unless we get rid of on-line porn, all this parent watching the boo shelves stuff is moot.
We can get rid of porn. The S Court decision allowing it, has always been wrong.
We police “child porn” …. no let’s take the next step, dump porn America.
Kinda hazy on this, but didn’t SCOTUS have trouble defining pornography? But George, it would be fun and titillating to hear you define it. Go for it!
Shut down the state library system. Go read the actual charter of the state library: housing state documents. Absolutely nothing about the insanely expensive internet (our small community’s internet was subsidized for $87,000 last year!), homeless housing, grooming of children, trans shows, welfare lunch programs, and junk books…..Libraries are another socialist tool stealing from one group of people to serve another and accomplish Marxist agendas.
Friend: you don’t have any credibility with me.
Of course I don’t Lucinda because I have faith in God Almighty and your faith is in the fallen angels. God Almighty wins in the end.
Your phony magical thinking dooms our society, and, given the planet’s interconnectedness, the rest of us. It’s fun to spar with you on this forum cuz there is no harm to our words, but when the destructive anti-reality forces like All Things Trump and his spawn (including and especially you) start influencing the sane population through your political power and support of domestic terrorist violence, I become troubled and eager to advocate against you.
Lucinda, there you go again, blaming me for what you are actually doing. You and the lefties are attempting to destroy the world with your perverted, selfish, sick beliefs; but, it is not working because there is a higher power then your god Satan. This higher power created your god Satan along with you and all of us and this higher power will destroy your god Satan and all of Satan’s followers when the time is right according to YHWH God Almighty’s Word the Bible. Say what you will. My faith is in God Almighty and he is the One and Only Omni-Potent God.
Don’t check it out. Just take it to a trash can and hide it
so the janitor takes it
out with the trash.
Since when is a librarian a sex expert promoting risky sex for 14 -18 year olds?
No one says they are experts at that. They are, however, experts at directing people to the information they seek.
y’all let this go too far trying to be nice. now you’re going to live in it
Right on Dalton both you and I were banned on a certain radio station for speaking the truth.
Very true! While Conservatives tried to give everyone a chance at everything in this life, the demonrats took advantage of the Conservatives and nailed their shoes to the boards so that Conservatives cannot do a thing while the demonrats roll over everyone. We are paying the price for not seeing the game in advance!
Very true Foh
Now what do you suggest? Or is Eric Metaxas right in his book A Letter To The American Church, it may be too late!
Here’s a good website that I thought I’d share incase anyone has not heard of this group and are interested in checking them out.
https://www.alaskafreedomalliance.com/
They had a twitter session that I was able to access w/o having to sign into twitter this evening – some about ESG: https://twitter.com/action_alaska/status/1660163655764267013
Isn’t Virginia McClure the wife of Mead Treadwell? Isn’t Treadwell a practicing Catholic? Is his wife? Perhaps their pastor should have a heart to heart with both of them…
Mead Treadwell is married to Vagina McClure!?
Gawd Phony Friend. How many times have I told you that I am an atheist and so your make-believe action figures are not real to me? I get it that they are real to you and magical thinking has overtaken critical thinking so when you claim to know “truth”, it’s of your own making and doesn’t apply to anyone else and definitely not me. But for sure it helps you and comforts you so that’s nice, but I object when your fantasy world restricts my freedom, like making abortion illegal for example.
Phony Friend: theological question for you. You claim, “ This higher power created your god Satan along with you and all of us and this higher power will destroy your god Satan and all of Satan’s followers when the time is right.” Why would your god create Satan in the first place yet having done so will later destroy Satan?
“Let’s Talk About It” as listed in the Alaska Public Libraries query:
FNSB Fairbanks (Graphic Novels), APL Loussac, JPL Juneau, Kuskokwim Consortium (2 copies), Soldotna Public Library (YA-Graphic Novels and Non-Fic), UAA Kenai, UAF Rasmuson, UAS Egan, Willow Public
To all humanity-loving people, please watch this video that was taken recently of Author and local activist Jackie Goforth. Very informational. We need to support Jackie’s efforts! https://rumble.com/v2ple7t-alaska-school-of-government-presents.html