Regarding Christian County Library Trustees

Christian County Library is having troubles due to an outside group. 2021 transplant from Oregon and one of the recently appointed Board of Trustees, Echo Schneider (fka Alexzander), is a “Team Member”of the “World Library Association”. This new group’s apparent goal is to damage the oldest, largest, and most respected library association in the world, the American Library Association, likely as part of sowing distrust in American institutions for political gain. It’s hard to say to what degree Echo is complicit in this, or is simply duped. The county commissioners' vetting didn't catch it when they chose to specifically exclude expert input and they appointed her under their new independent process breaking with 66 years of tradition. Now the system is broken.

Looking at the World Library Association’s website and info about its leaders, we see that this is an extremely right wing politicized organization, not a professional association for librarians with training, standards and resources to offer, like the American Library Association has developed over its 148 years.

Here are some of the featured WLA leaders

Dan Kleinman - Founder and Executive Director

Founder of SafeLibraries, an old blog with a decades long vendetta against the ALA. Coinciding with the rise of Moms for Liberty, Kleinman rebranded his mostly one man show and formed the “World Library Association” with essentially the same goals as he’s always had.

SafeLibrariesAboutMe Speaking Engagement

Reddit librarian is familiar with Kleinman

Shawn McBreairty

Director of Special Projects at Maine First Project.
Maine First Project was founded by Larry Lockman This guy
Deep investigation of Maine First Project

A major award for McBrearity!

References to his X/Twitter account still exist but his Instagram is mostly wiped.

His Instagram reeked of extremism and implied antisemitism and more. It used to have a self description of “”America’s Most Dangerous Dad,” Patriot, Lion, Ultra-MAGA, Pureblood, Advocate for Educational Freedom & more toxic masculinity. #LetsGoBrandon”.

He’s also famous for baiting and suing multiple school districts in Maine.

McBrearity died by self inflicted gunshot in June 2024. Response was mixed.

Maine Journalist’s Twitter announcement

”The problem with giving into terrorists, though, is that they don’t stop.”

More coverage

Kevin DuJan
Wrote a book

The ALA reviewed it Other Content from 2010

Vicki Baggett

Works with M4L Very Troubling Student Allegations

And more

Chuck Butler, Sage Bear and Echo Marta Mossburg Bruce Friedman Aimee Nobile

This outside group with a political orientation is what has injected itself into what is supposed to be an apolitical organization that serves all; the Christian County Library. They have created division while trying to destroy national standards and practices. Locally, this interferes with CCL’s ability to fulfill its mission, which reads, “Building community for all through access, innovation, and engagement.”.

U-Turn in Education

Federal Judge rules against labeling/separating

Court Case influences Christian County Library

This is in the 8th District, which includes Missouri

https://arktimes.com/arkansas-blog/2024/10/01/federal-judge-rules-crawford-county-library-violated-constitution

https://arktimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/FILE_6702.pdf

This Crawford County Library decision has already had impact elsewhere

https://www.bentoncourier.com/news/federal-court-rules-crawford-county-library-policy-violates-first-amendment-in-lgbtq-book-removal-case/article_1e821038-80f0-11ef-94aa-1bed09dde00a.html

Via apparent reminder from a familiar audience member's text message, Trustee Garrity misstepped badly and inquired about labeling or categorizing "CRT" books. Unfortunately, this strongly suggests viewpoint discrimination is the real intention here, and makes the Crawford County decision much more relevant to the situation at Christian County Library.

https://youtu.be/gWzFBfV3oZ4?t=2570

9/4/24 Springfield News-Leader Story Link

https://www.news-leader.com/story/news/local/ozarks/2024/09/04/christian-county-library-board-may-label-lgbtq-books/74999524007/

Video of CCL's 8/27/24 Board meeting: https://youtu.be/gWzFBfV3oZ4

Time stamps to note:

26:38 overview of previous closed meeting regarding legalities of removing, relocating and labeling books. Also direction to Executive Director to investigate plan.

50:33 Breach of posted agenda and bylaws, with a vote of slate of positions

1:15:15 Beginning of Public Comments

Quick Background

Largely as a result of our county commissioners breaking the 65 year tradition of incorporating expert advice into their CCL Board of Trustees appointments, there are now anti-ALA board members attempting to seize control of the board and diminish the quality and extent of services made available by CCL to the public. First steps? Label all the "LGBT+" books and break from the open sourced integrated library system and consortium to a for profit, but much less extensive system that would provide fewer offerings to everybody.

Donate Page

Maus Course

U-Turn in Education is pleased to announce a partnership with the Christian County Library; Dr. Scott Denham, Professor of German Studies at Davidson College; and Dr. Barbara Mann, Professor of Modern Hebrew Language and Literature at Case Western Reserve University.

Beginning in October a virtual and in-person hybrid course on Maus, by Art Spiegelman will be offered for FREE on Tuesday evenings.

Maus is a brutally moving work of art—widely hailed as the greatest graphic novel ever written—Maus recounts the chilling experiences of the author’s father during the Holocaust, with Jews drawn as wide-eyed mice and Nazis as menacing cats. It is a haunting tale within a tale, weaving the author’s account of his tortured relationship with his aging father into an astonishing retelling of one of history's most unspeakable tragedies. It is an unforgettable story of survival and a disarming look at the legacy of trauma.

U-Turn in Education is pleased to have helped coordinate the creation of this educational opportunity for us all. Because of the events surrounding what was then an upcoming challenge to The Complete Maus in the Nixa High School library, Drs. Denham and Mann reached out to U-Turn in Education to make a surprising offer. They had designed and would graciously provide for free, a class tailored to the ages and grades most affected by the attempted censorship of this book. When McMinn County in TN banned Maus from its 8th grade curriculum in January 2022, a version of this course was offered for that community. Both of those actions received considerable national attention. Since we are fortunate to have retained Maus in our high school library, this has become a celebratory event for us here locally, but we are acutely aware of continued challenges to the Jewish community, and that attempts at the censorship of this book can represent some of those challenges.

Come join us in celebration, but also plan on an enjoyable learning experience about a groundbreaking, genre defining, Pulitzer prize winning book. This course has something to offer for much of our local community and beyond - students, teachers, parents, professors, college students, book clubs... all can benefit.

We understand that an outside local group has donated funds to make available 30 boxed sets of Maus 1 and Maus 2 (the equivalent of The Complete Maus ) to course participants that want them. The level of community support for this program is phenomenal. Keep your October Tuesday nights free and come join us.

see p.5 of Christian County Library's September-October 2023 catalog

or their Calendar of Events

Invite a Friend!

Supporting educational opportunities for all

Regarding Christian County Library Trustees

CCL Trustee Echo's Cape Girardeau audio

Federal Judge rules against labeling/separating

Court Case influences Christian County Library

Defending processes and bylaws of CCL Board of Trustees

Local Radio Coverage of Christian County Library

9/4/24 Springfield News-Leader Story Link

Quick Background

Maus Course and 2023 Banned Books Week

Maus Course

Some success! Nixa Public Schools to create 'standing committee' for future library book challenges. If this can be done transparently, and without significant soft censorship, the Nixa School District and our entire community will benefit considerably.

And more of Nixa and our efforts in the news

the Washington Post

the Washington Post

the Washington Post

coda

the Washington Post

the Washington Post

pen america

the Washington Post

pen america

PEN America

PEN America

PEN America

PEN America

PEN America

Supporting educational opportunities for all

Regarding Christian County Library Trustees

CCL Trustee Echo's Cape Girardeau audio

Federal Judge rules against labeling/separating

Court Case influences Christian County Library

Defending processes and bylaws of CCL Board of Trustees

Local Radio Coverage of Christian County Library

9/4/24 Springfield News-Leader Story Link

Quick Background

Maus Course and 2023 Banned Books Week

Maus Course

Some success! Nixa Public Schools to create 'standing committee' for future library book challenges. If this can be done transparently, and without significant soft censorship, the Nixa School District and our entire community will benefit considerably.

And more of Nixa and our efforts in the news

the Washington Post

the Washington Post

the Washington Post

coda

the Washington Post

the Washington Post

pen america

the Washington Post

pen america

PEN America

PEN America

PEN America

PEN America

PEN America

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