Update: I put a lengthy piece together why the passion regarding identity. (Link here)
Stacey Lunsford is the Whitewater Library Director and organizer of the upcoming LGBTQ+ movie night for middle school and high school students. I asked Stacey why she thinks this movie is appropriate for thirteen year old students, particularly those without parental consent. Stacey has refused to answer, other than pretty much telling me to go to hell (my words); must be nice to be an unaccountable government bureaucrat.
Ms. Lunsford, is this appropriate for a thirteen year old, without the consent of their parent?
So I will take some time here over the next few days to address Ms. Lunsford’s rebellion on a fairly large scale. I commit to making this one of my better blog posts.
Personal note: I took down the crappy Google Ads for my website, probably permanently.
Again, over the next few days I will try to address the topic as a whole, and even tie in racism. The answers are fairly simple; however getting to the answer will require many stops. I hope you take the time to read, maybe question it … question me about it (I would love it).
So What Happened?
I was prompted to an LGBTQ+ Movie Night hosted by our Whitewater Library. The advertisements did not include the movie title. I decided to dig into the funding and such for this woke event.
The Email Chain
So I started to ask some questions. The movie is Love, Simon. It is exactly what you would think it is. Youtube has plenty of clips. I put the emails into a format that is easily readable. Note that the entire library board was on the email chain, as well as City Manager John Weidl.
Mike: Hey good afternoon! Can you send me a copy of the parental release form for this event?
Stacey Lunsford: There is no parental release form for this event or any other at the library.
Mike: Why do you think it is appropriate for thirteen year olds to see this movie without their parents’ consent? Are you going to let children younger than thirteen into this movie? How will you check the children to ensure their age?
Stacey Lunsford: Public libraries and their staff do not act in loco parentis. All parents have the sole right and responsibility to determine what public library materials, resources, and events their children access. We expect and encourage parents to monitor what their children read, view, and participate in. Our collection development policy and programming policy cover this. I have attached copies. These policies are also available on our website.
Mike: This has nothing to do with loco parentis. You are the person (“adult”) taking this action, not a parent. You didn’t answer my question. I will ask again: Why do you think it is appropriate for thirteen year olds to see this movie without their parents’ consent?
Stacey Lunsford: I’m sorry, I thought you would be familiar with the term. In loco parentis is a legal term that means “in [the] place of a parent” or “instead of a parent.” Public library staff do not act in the place of a parent in the way a teacher does in the school system. We provide materials, resources, and events for a broad spectrum of interests and groups. It is always the responsibility of the parent to monitor their own child’s use of the public library. If you are a parent and you do not want your child to attend an event or check out a book or watch a film or use the computer at the library, it is both your legal right and responsibility to restrict access for your own child. Librarians and library governing bodies cannot assume the role of parents or the functions of parental authority in the private relationship between parent and child.
Mike: Passive-aggressive snark aside, are you going to answer my question? Why do you think it is appropriate for thirteen year olds to see this movie without their parents’ consent?
John Weidl: Please be kind. The question is loaded. She’s right not to answer it. What I think Stacey is saying is that the library is not involved in the process of ensuring that anyone does or does not obtain consent for Library programming. Consent is between the parent and the child. We’ve supplied you the information you have requested. It’s incumbent you bring your concerns to the library board if you still have them.
Mike: The question is not loaded. She is trying to take an action and not be held accountable for it. Best case scenario, this is a very controversial topic. Worst case scenario it is damaging our kids… for what? My recommendation: Star Wars, Avengers, The Princess Bride. Stacey, you don’t have to prove your wokeness to anyone.
My Comments and Hypothesis
- John Weidl runs city business very well. He is a huge step up from Cameron Clapper. Disappointing that he cannot allow these unelected bureaucrats answer for their actions.
- Lunsford’s refusal to answer my very basic questions were obviously expected. But why not say how she feels? (My hypothesis) Stacey Lunsford doesn’t care what parents think. For her to express her deep desires to please the world… to show her wokeness … are so much more important than parents.
- This is a library asking for five million dollars for expansion. The best answer I can get to the need for the expansion is conference rooms. Like we don’t have a university with open rooms on an hourly basis.
- Why on God’s Green Earth would anyone support this library, when the head librarian doesn’t give a rip over showing this material to thirteen year olds (or younger, per her email).
My Crazy, Crazy Thoughts….
Let’s pretend for a few moments that thirty years of wokeness and progressiveism and identity politics is wrong, and six thousand years of Judeo-Christian Values are Truth.
Only mentioning here that you cannot discuss sex at work, but somehow it is okay for librarians to talk about homosexuality and transgenderism with thirteen year olds….?
And the mental health associated with identity and gender dysphoria are what? Just a coincidence?
So what if … what IF? There is a Creator of the universe? What if the Bible and Judeo-Christian values are legit?
What if all that stuff you learned in Sunday School as a kid is REAL? and you have just stepped away from it for too long? ? ?
You have to make a choice: the world or the Creator. And every day you wait, the harder it is going to be.
Going After It
Next couple days I want to discuss how to deal with identity, based on the Truth. How to act out of love. How to have peace in your life.
If this is upsetting to you, my recommendation is to call:
- City Manager John Weidl 262-473-0104 jweidl@whitewater-wi.gov
- Brienne Brown (City Alderman and head of library board) 512-297-8928 bbrown@whitewater-wi.gov
If you would rather email, that is a good idea as well. If you call or email, let me know and I will put you down for a Discerning Whitewater tee shirt. I promise they are cool.
And let me know your thoughts. Email me. Also, subscribe here:
Well, I hope you have a great day.
-mike
Discerning Whitewater 
We stopped using the Whitewater library a couple years ago. I was tired of seeing my kids disappointed by the lack of quality children’s literature on the shelves. There is apparently a policy that if books don’t get checked out a certain number of times a year then they are disposed of. This happens even if the book in question is in the middle of a series. I couldn’t even get a book on Van Gogh, one of the most famous artists on record. They told me to print pictures offline like everyone else does and take them to the class I tutor. There is a massive difference in print quality between an art book and my crummy printer. The quality of the books kept getting worse as they added more bells and whistles like makerspace and activity backpacks. They have many policies that hinder rather than help and most of the staff treat you as if you are a burden if you try to ask for assistance. The exception being Deana, the children’s librarian. She remembers my girls even when months go by without us appearing and is sweet as candy. We switched over to the Fort Atkinson library. It is well worth the drive and their librarians are far nicer and more willing to help. If you find a woke book on the children’s shelves and complain they will listen and sometimes even remove the books. We sometimes still have to order books in from other libraries, but the librarians themselves are still worth the drive. ________________________________
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Elizabeth thanks for commenting. I have been to Whitewater Library maybe once a year for the last ten years. Last time I was there, my kids got yelled at by Karen for going into the makerspace. I was disgusted. Library was empty, makerspace door was wide open. Apparently it wasn’t makerspace hours. Karen didn’t even have to monitor, but apparently she was too busy being a librarian to be a positive influence on my kids. I hope you share the blog post. I “put it out there” and support would be nice. And call these leaders, I gave their numbers. Thanks again, Mike.
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We have an interested community group that will be attending the movie! Please join us! The more adults that fill seats, the less children will be subject to such nonsense! We will begin arriving 1 hr before movie time. See you there Whitewater Community!
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