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According to the American Library Association (ALA), a challenge is an attempt to remove or restrict materials, based upon the objections of a person or group. A banning is the removal of those materials.
The Lincolnwood Library is being targeted by a group of residents who believe that the way they practice their respective religions should determine the standards for what books should and shouldn’t be available to library visitors. (See petition below)
This group has yielded four candidates for the Lincolnwood Library board. All four interpret their respective religions in a way that seeks to deny rights and respect for our LGBTQIA+ neighbors. The only passion these candidates bring to the April 4th election is their drive to have books related to LGBTQIA+ themes and sex education removed from their designated places in our library. These candidates are part of a national trend to manufacture a moral panic about LGBTQIA+ inclusion and standardized sex education. They use the cover of “parents rights” and "protecting the children" to advance their views, ignoring the rights of other parents to choose materials for their children. These candidates intentionally stoke outrage and encourage distrust in public institutions. We need to pay attention and speak out against their bigotry. It won’t end with our Library.
Save the Library, Save Democracy.
Early voting begins March 20, 2023. Election Day is April 4, 2023.
The Petition
In September 2022 in a vile and hate-filled email, Candidates Kari Gutstein, Jacqueline Kosir, Mohamed Hafezi (as a member of Ata Rehman's self-named Lincolnwood Muslims Group), and Andrea Serban carried out the will of Awake Illinois, Moms for Liberty, and Heritage Action for America by signing a petition demanding the library re-shelve an LGBTQIA+ book. This is a direct violation of the First Amendment. Make no mistake - reshelving books is book banning!
Click the button to see their homophobic rant.
First our Library, Then Our Schools.
We Must Resist.
After the PTA for SD74 was disbanded last year, some parents began forming a new SD74 parent group called “PALS” (People Active with Lincolnwood Schools). A number of the parents who helped form this group are connected to the petition to ban (i.e. censorship) a book with LGBTQ content at the Library.
In fact, there is a lot of overlap between the current SD74 School Board, the parents who established PALS, the book-censoring parents, and the candidates for Library Board. Click this link to see how they are all connected to one another.
How long will it be until LGBTQIA+ kids will feel unsafe in our schools and our Library?
