A book controversy is taking center stage in Goshen.
A book dealing with LGBTQ issues was removed from the library last summer after community complaints. But some say proper procedure wasn’t followed when it was pulled from shelves.
A packed room at Goshen town hall as the library board of directors met to discuss the removal of a book, "Gender Queer" by Maia Kobabe. It’s a memoir about the author’s experiences growing up dealing with gender identity and being nonbinary.
“It’s very much my experience I went through around that age.”
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Micah Conway says as a transgender man, he feels a personal connection to the book.
“I think it’s very important for those of that age to have access to that book and see that others are going through that same struggle,” he said.
The book was removed last summer from the children’s section at the Goshen public library after the town first selectman forwarded complaints about it to the president of the library board of directors. This caused some on the board to question whether proper protocol was followed.
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The board president, Henrietta Horvay, apologized for any misunderstanding saying she was trying to solve a problem and that the book should return.
“If I did something wrong, I am human and I’m sorry,” she said.
Josephine Jones, the vice chair of the Goshen library board, said in a statement that the book was never in the children’s section, it was in the young adults’ section.
Jones added that it’s OK to challenge a book but it must be done following proper protocol. The 40 letters being presented to the library director were not formal complaints, she said.
During public comment, some people still wanted to see the book physically removed or moved to another section of the library.
“To have it in the children’s room, I’m sorry, it does not belong there. If you’re going to have it in the library, please put it elsewhere,” a Goshen resident said.
In a statement, the first selectman, Todd Carusillo, says he forwarded complaints and that this was a library board of directors matter, but felt the book should be moved saying quote:
“The book in question should be in the adult section and checked out of the library with parental consent for any minor.”
Conway says he’s given grace to the board president and will continue to speak up to see the book remain on the shelf.
“Due process will definitely be followed and that the book will be discussed in the way it should be,” he said.
Horvay says there are now about 40 formal challenges to the book. That means the town will go through the formal process to consider its removal.
