Petition to Support our Libraries and Stand Against Censorship

Libraries in Parishes across the state are being targeted for censorship by political special interest groups and we need your help to stop them here in St Tammany. 

 

St Tammany Parish is a welcoming community to all and we stand firmly against banning books.  As such we endorse the following statements:

  • We believe that all people in our Parish deserve to see themselves reflected in our library’s collection.
  • We know a large majority of Americans (75%) across the political spectrum oppose book bans.
  • We stand in opposition to special interest groups seeking to limit access or remove books from our libraries. These groups include the St Tammany Parish Library Accountability Project, Citizens for a New Louisiana, and AG Landry. 
  • We believe parents should decide for themselves what their children read and that individuals and groups from our community should not dictate what other parents let their children read or what books are available in our library. 
  • Limiting access to or banning books from public libraries is a slippery slope to government censorship and a violation of our first amendment rights.
  • We hold our library director and our librarians in high regard and trust them to do their jobs.

We are united against book bans and we ask that our Parish President and Council pledge to act to protect the rights of members of our community to access a variety of books, magazines and other media through our public libraries.

Information about what brought this petition about can be found here.

3,115 signatures

Will you sign?

  • Juliana Sistrunk
    signed 2023-03-19 17:43:24 -0500
  • Michelle Greene
    signed 2023-03-19 16:45:10 -0500
  • Polly Turner
    signed 2023-03-19 16:34:15 -0500
  • Quinn Perret
    signed 2023-03-19 16:07:53 -0500
  • Sandy Brown
    signed via 2023-03-19 16:06:02 -0500
    No one is making anyone read a particular book. Neither should anyone prevent others from reading books of their choice. Does anyone realize that if you tell teens they cannot read a boo, that it make curious to read that book? The free exchange of ideas and thoughts is essential to an educated society.
  • Tracy Lee
    signed 2023-03-19 15:30:53 -0500
  • Paula Zimlicki
    signed 2023-03-19 15:04:00 -0500
  • Marie Sproull
    signed via 2023-03-19 14:56:47 -0500
  • Patrick Ledet
    signed 2023-03-18 18:57:24 -0500
  • Kristyn Whatley
    signed 2023-03-16 15:39:15 -0500
  • Amelia Mims
    signed 2023-03-16 13:16:20 -0500
  • Christi Evans
    signed 2023-03-16 12:23:37 -0500
  • Ashley Ingraham
    signed 2023-03-16 12:07:14 -0500
  • Helen Psareas
    signed 2023-03-16 06:13:24 -0500
    I strongly oppose the banning of books.
  • Clarisa Findley
    signed 2023-03-16 04:13:28 -0500
  • H F
    signed 2023-03-16 00:10:23 -0500
  • Katy Kuntz
    signed 2023-03-15 09:32:01 -0500
  • Alexis Smith
    signed 2023-03-15 07:42:35 -0500
  • Jessica Bock
    signed 2023-03-15 07:01:44 -0500
  • Summer Spell
    signed 2023-03-14 22:17:30 -0500
  • Rhonda Evans
    signed 2023-03-14 16:44:01 -0500
  • Kristin Prentice
    signed 2023-03-14 15:59:27 -0500
  • Sandford Stone
    signed 2023-03-13 17:20:22 -0500
    I asked a librarian at the Slidell main branch to show me some of the books they were keeping off the shelves. I was shocked at the quantity, and that people would find them objectionable. Book banning is alive and well in the USA!
  • Sean Young
    signed 2023-03-13 12:28:16 -0500
  • Chuck Cruce
    signed 2023-03-12 18:07:15 -0500
  • Marie Pemberton
    signed 2023-03-12 13:40:50 -0500
    All books should be available to read. If you don’t like a book don’t read it. Only because you don’t like a book doesn’t mean others won’t like it.
  • Mindy Dennis
    signed 2023-03-12 10:42:03 -0500
  • Jeri Creson
    signed 2023-03-12 08:40:57 -0500
    FYI I’ve already signed this – but it prompted me again to sign up. Thanks folks for doing a great job here!
  • Troy Coley
    signed 2023-03-12 01:34:36 -0600
  • Lorraine Drez
    signed 2023-03-11 18:38:53 -0600
    It’s a shame we are still dealing with censorship in this day and age. People’s personal views should not dictate what the public has access to. I hope we may beat unfair censorship and prejudice.