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Huntington Beach residents will vote on book censorship, library control in June
Librarians at the Huntington Beach Central Library review books in the children's section on Feb. 7, 2024.
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Jill Replogle
/
LAist
)
The Huntington Beach City Council has set a special election for June 10 on two initiatives that could determine who controls the city’s public libraries.
One would repeal a controversial parent-guardian review board with the power to determine which children’s books are appropriate for the city’s public libraries. The other would ban privatization of Huntington Beach’s libraries in what could be the biggest test yet of the city's MAGA agenda.
What’s the backstory?
Huntington Beach's libraries have been a point of controversy since staunch conservatives took over city government and voted, in late 2023, to establish a board of local parents and guardians to review children’s books for public libraries and weed out ones they determine to have sexually inappropriate content. Opponents say that job should be left to professional librarians — and they mounted a petition drive to get the board repealed.
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Public library advocates mounted a second petition drive after the City Council flirted last year with outsourcing library operations to a private company. Both initiatives qualified for the ballot in December.
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Critics accused the council of using a nationally polarizing topic for political gain. -
Then-Orange County Supervisor Andrew Do directed taxpayer dollars to a nonprofit to build the memorial. They later returned $150,000 after LAist questions. Now it's likely to be demolished. -
The department said it did not "assist" the agent in enforcement, and that no crime occurred.
Lawsuit pending
Several Huntington Beach teens, backed by the ACLU and First Amendment Coalition, recently sued the city over the book review board and its new policy of prohibiting minors from accessing library books with sexual content. In a news conference this week, several City Council members decried the lawsuit and accused opponents of supporting kids’ access to pornography.
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But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
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