A Randolph County Commissioner has confirmed an effort to reorganize the local library’s board of trustees following a recent decision to keep a children’s book about a transgender boy on the shelves.
But the issue is not currently on Monday's meeting agenda.
A screenshot circulating on social media from a local religious organization, Return America, stated that commissioners planned to dismiss and replace the entire library board at their Nov. 3 meeting.
The trustees voted several weeks ago to keep the book Call Me Max in the children’s section after a community member requested it be removed or relocated.
That meeting was packed, with dozens of public speakers divided on the issue. But the conversation didn’t stop after the vote. Local pastors and politicians took to podcasts and social media to condemn the decision.
Now, Commissioner Lester Rivenbark said he's considering making changes to the library’s board.
“It's coming just from the wants and the needs of Randolph County," he said, explaining what prompted the idea. "This is for the safety of our children.”
Rivenbark said he wasn’t sure the changes would happen in the upcoming meeting, but didn’t rule it out either.
"We will find out," Rivenbark said.
The effort was news to Commissioner Hope Haywood, though, who said she saw an item added to the board’s agenda Wednesday morning that said “Reorganization of the Library Board of Trustees” with no additional information.
“When I asked our board attorney, 'What is the intention? Is it to do away with the board entirely? Is it to replace the current members?' The board attorney was not sure," Haywood said.
Haywood said removing the trustees would first require a public hearing with 30 days’ notice. She thinks the commission will likely set a date for a hearing at their upcoming meeting, and noted how valuable the library is to the Randolph community.
“So whatever we do, I just want to be thoughtful about it," she said. "I want to be responsive, but I also want to be thoughtful.”
But according to the Randolph County Public Information Officer, the latest agenda has no action item pertaining to the library’s board at all.
In a statement, she said, “Any reports or assumptions to the contrary are inaccurate.”
