"Former Sen. and current Alabama gubernatorial candidate Doug Jones (D) has vowed to replace members of the state's library board who banned trans books from children's and young adult sections in the state's public libraries. The board's former chairman, John Wahl, who is currently running for Alabama lieutenant governor, has fired back, accusing Jones of wanting to expose young people to "sexually explicit" material and "perversion.""
"Jones, who is vying against five other Democratic candidates to become his party's nominee, promised to be "a champion of public libraries, a champion of free speech, a champion of making sure libraries are free and [patrons] have access to a lot of information." He went on to connect book-banning efforts to attacks on free speech and the freedom of the press nationwide, describing all three as "under siege.""
"In Alabama, the state Public Library Service board, under Wahl, responded to pressure from anti-LGBTQ+ groups Clean Up Alabama and Moms for Liberty by instituting a tiered system in 2024. Under the system, books featuring LGBTQ+ characters and themes are banned from children's and teen sections of the state's public libraries. The board has blocked state funding to the Fairhope Public Library after it refused to remove several books from its teen section."
Doug Jones pledged to replace members of Alabama's Public Library Service board after the board banned transgender-themed books from children's and young adult sections. Jones promised to champion public libraries, free speech, and broad information access, calling book bans and attacks on the press part of nationwide efforts that are "under siege." The board, led by John Wahl, adopted a 2024 tiered system following pressure from Clean Up Alabama and Moms for Liberty that excludes LGBTQ+ books from children’s and teen collections and withheld state funding from the Fairhope Public Library for refusing removals. Wahl accused Jones of promoting "sexually explicit" material and "perversion."
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