Tennessee Secretary Of State Issues Blank Check To Libraries Across State With No Guidelines For Age Appropriateness

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The Tennessee Conservative [By Kelly M. Jackson] –

The office of Tennessee Secretary of State, Tre Hargett, has issued a blank check to libraries across the Volunteer State with no guidelines for age appropriateness which leaves them to be influenced by progressive library organizations like the American Library Association and its counterparts.

This week, the state of Montana voted to withdraw its membership from the American Library Association.  They stated that their reason was because the new president of the association, Emily Drabrinski, self-identified as a “Marxist-Lesbian” in a now deleted tweet.

Here In Tennessee, this influence manifests itself differently. In an email exchange with Secretary of State Tre Hargett’s office, The Tennessee Conservative was expressly told “The Tennessee State Library & Archives are not dues-paying members of the American Library Association.” This is despite when one checks the ALA’s website, the Tennessee State Library and the contacts for the chapter are there. 

When The Tennessee Conservative inquired about the ALA’s Tennessee counterpart, The Tennessee Library Association, the response was the same, that “The Tennessee State Library & Archives is also not a dues-paying member of the Tennessee Library Association.” 

However, through research, The Tennessee Conservative has learned that even if the state of Tennessee is not a dues-paying member of the ALA or Tennessee Library Association, many local public libraries are actively involved, pay for their staffs’ attendance at ALA/TLA conferences and follow recommendations issued by the ALA/TLA.

The Secretary of State administers about $1.6 million/year in state and federal funds to local libraries (which are primarily funded by local property taxes) to purchase books, through the regional library system. The Secretary of State’s office simply pays for the books selected, as they confirmed yesterday, by local librarians. Some of which are as graphic as the screenshots below, which was found in the children’s section of a Blount County public library.

Those selections have been a hot button issue with local grassroots groups and parents alike, as they show up at their local school board and county commissioners’ meetings to express their displeasure.

Taxpayers are wondering why none of the mechanisms that hold the county or state employees accountable for their decisions, especially regarding the material our children have open access to, are actually taking any steps to intervene on their behalf. 

Considering that Tre Hargett’s office doles out the money and manages the library system here in Tennessee, they would have the capacity to have some decision-making power with regard to how the books are chosen and if those books are age appropriate. However, they don’t seem compelled to wield that power, so the ALA and TNLA fill that void, and do it for them. 

In other words, not being a “dues paying member” isn’t any sort of reassurance that the libraries here in Tennessee aren’t being lead and infiltrated by progressive organizations like the ALA and TNLA.

The Tennessee Conservative reached out to Robin Steenman, the Chapter Chair for Williamson County Moms For Liberty, and asked for her thoughts on the issue since it is a hallmark issue for the organization, who nationally is represented in 44 states. Moms For Liberty has been at the tip of the spear with this issue in particular. Steenman had this to say:  

 “In 2021, the National School Board Association (NSBA) destroyed its own credibility when it colluded with the Biden administration to target parents speaking at school board meetings.  This resulted in multiple states severing ties with that organization.  

In the same way, the American Library Association (ALA) has destroyed its credibility by targeting children with age-inappropriate and pornographic content under the leadership of an avowed Marxist.  

Per the ALA, the number of obscene books on library shelves jumped from 600 in 2020 to 1600 in 2021.  That indicates a clear agenda. I predict that Montana’s withdrawal is just the beginning.  States will not and should not tolerate the sexualization and indoctrination of children, especially in their libraries.” 

While some states’ association with the American Library Association and its various counterparts may be more formal like that of Montana, or if it looks more like Tennessee where they have crept into individual libraries at the local level, the influence these progressive library associations have, and the implications of that influence are being recognized and dealt with.

About the Author: Kelly Jackson is a recent escapee from corporate America, and a California refugee to Tennessee. Christ follower, Wife and Mom of three amazing teenagers. She has a BA in Comm from Point Loma Nazarene University, and has a background in law enforcement and human resources. Since the summer of 2020, she has spent any and all free time in the trenches with local grassroots orgs, including Mom’s for Liberty Williamson County and Tennessee Stands as a core member.  Outspoken advocate for parents rights, medical freedom, and individual liberty. Kelly can be reached at kelly@tennesseeconservativenews.com.