It all started with one parent’s complaint about a book in the children’s section of the Lincolnwood, Illinois, library this summer.
The mother, there with her twins, objected to the shelf display of “The Hips on the Drag Queen Go Swish, Swish, Swish,” a colorful 40-page children’s book that had been featured at the library’s story time in June, and confronted a staff member about whether the book was appropriate for children. She filed a formal challenge to the book Sept. 2, records show.
What happened next is a scene being played out at board meetings in schools and libraries across the country as parents, activists, politicians and educators argue over programming and materials dealing with gender and sexuality at public institutions in an escalating battle about who has the right to make the call. Last week, that debate took an explosive turn at the Lincolnwood Public Library Board meeting when police were called, the meeting was cut short and staff were left thinking about their safety at work.
