The Daniel Boone Regional Library defended hosting an LGBTQ+ themed “Rainbow Story Time” for toddlers and preschoolers Tuesday despite repeated attacks from Republican officials.
Robin Westphal, the library’s executive director, said in a statement the event held Saturday was in “full compliance with all statutes and regulations.”
“The program consisted of a children’s story time using age-appropriate picture books, songs and activities suitable for toddlers and preschoolers,” the statement said. “Absolutely no materials prohibited by current laws were presented to any child in attendance.”
The story time drew more than 100 community members rallying in support after Secretary of State Denny Hoskins sent a letter Friday threatening to strip the library’s funding if the event continued as planned.
Hoskins and state Sen. Rick Brattin, R-Harrisonville, took to a podium outside Hoskins’ Capitol office to continue their attacks on the event during a news conference Tuesday.
Hoskins restated his intentions, adding that he has been in contact with lawmakers including state Rep. John Martin, R-Columbia, to devise a new formula for allocating funds to public libraries in response to the event being held.
“I can tell you that over the last four years, funding through my office has been about $1.2 million to the Daniel Boone Regional Library System,” Hoskins said. “And because of this, I’m going to revisit the rule on the formula allocation that goes to each public library to make sure events like these aren’t funded with taxpayer dollars.”
The two Republicans continued to compare the books shown during the story time to pornographic material, asserting the staff need to be held accountable.
“We’ve banned pornography in school libraries, and seeing that we have taxpayer dollars and taxpayer funded establishments that are putting on these sorts of shows to sexualize children, to groom children, is beyond the pale,” Brattin said.
Two books were read by story leaders at the event. “Rainbowsaurus” by Steve Antony, tells the tale of when two dads and their three children set off on an adventure to find the Rainbowsaurus, meeting colorful creatures along the way.
“Big Wig” by Jonathan Hillman, is a story involving a child who decides to dress in drag when participating in a neighborhood costume competition as B. B. Bedazzle.
Hoskins admitted he hadn’t read either of the books before sending his letter to the library, mentioning he judged them from their illustrations.
“I think you had to pay for it,” Hoskins said. “I certainly wasn’t going to pay for any of that crap.”
Boone County Prosecuting Attorney Roger Johnson said Friday there’s a line between what breaks the law and what doesn’t in Missouri.
“It’s just not a crime to talk about LGBTQ+ issues,” Johnson told KOMU 8 News. “It wouldn’t be a crime, for example, to read ‘My Two Dads’ or books like that.”
“The criminal statutes are specifically talking about providing pornographic materials, which is usually, videos or photographs, theoretically could be, written depictions,” he said. “But we’re talking about depicting things that are sexual activities, not just gender identity.”
Attorney General Catherine Hanaway sent a letter, copied to Johnson, on Thursday reminding the library’s staff of Missouri’s laws protecting children from pornographic material, adding she would take appropriate action if the event violated them.
Hanaway’s office did not respond to a request for comment Tuesday.
State Rep. Wick Thomas, D-Kansas City, held a news conference in response to Brattin and Hoskins an hour later, defending the library for hosting the event. They mentioned a close tie to the debate from being gay and having grown up in the district Brattin represents.
“I came out at 16 in rural Missouri, actually, in the same district that Sen. Brattin represents now,” Thomas said. “Which is why it is especially infuriating that his language, and this political stunt he’s using for his campaign, is going to harm kids like me.” Brattin is seeking a seat in Congress.
Thomas capped their news conference reading through the two books that were presented during the “Rainbow Story Time.” They said they checked them out from the Daniel Boone Regional Library earlier in the day.
