UNION COUNTY, N.C. — Libraries are pillars in the communities, providing a place for people of all ages to learn, explore, and connect. However, in Union County, a policy involving the libraries is creating controversy.
The policy states that any group that wants to use a library space must be hosted, co-hosted, sponsored, or co-sponsored by Union County.
This has prevented several groups from using the library space, including a group of community advocates who are now protesting an upcoming event and the library policy.
On Saturday, the Union County Chapter of Moms for Liberty held a Constitution Day Storytime at the library.
“It was a chance to educate the students in the community about the ratification of the United States Constitution and a chance to celebrate our history as a nation," said Abigail Prado, chapter chair for Moms for Liberty Union County.
According to a spokesperson, Union County is collaborating and co-sponsoring the event.
"This isn't about fighting the Constitution," Jen Sanders, a Union County community advocate organizing the protest against the storytime, said. "This is about the rights of all Americans. And so for an anti-government extreme group to speak to us about what the Constitution means is it from their point of view or ours?"
“Tax dollars should not fund hate groups” and “Moms for hate does not represent me” were written on some of the signs folks held outside of the library with some demonstrators calling the group anti-government.
“I'm not sure how we can be an anti-government group when we are hosting an event to teach children and the community about the Constitution,” said Prado. “We are upholding our history, we are upholding our liberties and we see the importance of them.”
Moms for Liberty is a national group first started during the pandemic.
The group has said it's a nonpartisan self-proclaimed parents' rights group. It has quickly grown as a right-leaning group with thousands of members in 285 chapters across 44 states. The group started in Florida, in 2021, initially to fight COVID restrictions and mask mandates.
It has morphed into a sprawling organization that aims to fight for what it sees as parental rights but that critics, including the left-leaning Southern Poverty Law Center, label anti-government extremism.
"The county granted approval for this event based on its educational theme, the historical significance of the day, the County’s participation in the educational materials and message, and its alignment with the established event format of regular library activities," a Union County spokesperson said.
The county acknowledges other groups, although they didn't name them, attempting to book the library space have been denied access. The county says that’s because the events denied didn’t meet the criteria for co-sponsorship.
“The fact that they are able to use the library which is a tax-funded entity and that same library did not allow the pride organization of Union County to use the meeting room seems preferential,” said Scarlett Hollingsworth with Indivisible Charlotte.
A county spokesperson said the policy could be reviewed by the county commission in the coming months. They didn’t say what that review entails, but Sanders has questions.
"Are they redoing the policy, reviewing it to see if they can align it in different ways because they know that what they've done is not only illegal, but it also puts them in a bad light," Sanders asked. "And they don't want that. Are they willing to open up the rooms to every organization, not just the ones that they feel follow their conservative views?"
The county said it anticipates a review of the policy, but it is unclear when or if any changes will be made. In the meantime, the controversy is likely to continue.
The protest against the storytime is planned at 10 a.m., an hour before the storytime is set to happen at the Union County Public Library's main branch.
Full statement of Union County Government:
"Union County Library is celebrating Constitution Day. As part of the federally recognized day, the County is collaborating and cosponsoring with a local community group to celebrate the day, which will include an event on September 16 designed to engage children in civic education, mirroring the familiar format of our routine library storytime sessions.
The county granted approval for this event based on its educational theme, the historical significance of the day, the County’s participation in the educational materials and message, and its alignment with the established event format of regular library activities. Many meeting room requests have been denied for not meeting criteria to be an event considered for co-sponsorship with Union County Government, which is required under the current facility use policy.
County administration anticipates reviewing the existing policy with the Board of County Commissioners in the coming months. The group organizing the Constitution Day reading event followed the same process to request meeting space. Again, the county granted approval for this event based on its educational theme, the historical significance of the day, the County’s participation in the educational materials and message, and its alignment with the established event format of regular library children’s story time activities.
Union County’s Facility Use Policy is on the library website: https://www.uclnc.org/services/meeting-rooms"
The Union County Chapter of Moms for Liberty shared the following statement with WCNC Charlotte: “We are hosting an educational event for the whole community to help educate our children about the ratification of the United States Constitution and to celebrate our nation’s history. Everyone is welcome!”
Contact Shamarria Morrison at smorrison@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.