Crawford County Struggles with Legal Fees after Ruling on LGBTQ+ Library Book Stigmatization
Crawford County officials are facing a financial reckoning following a federal court ruling against them regarding the stigmatization of LGBTQ+ library books. As of mid-November 2024, the county has incurred around $240,000 in legal expenses associated with the case, a figure that does not include potential liability for the legal fees of the parents who initiated the lawsuit. These expenses, documented by County Clerk Stacey Shelly in response to an Arkansas Freedom of Information Act request, were covered by the county’s general fund, not the library fund.
County officials previously exhibited a willingness to spend significantly to defend the controversial practice of segregating LGBTQ+ literature but are now claiming budget constraints in light of a recent federal court ruling. The ruling, delivered by U.S. District Judge P.K. Holmes III, mandated the county cease its segregation of LGBTQ+ themed books into a designated "social section" and remove the accompanying stigmatizing labels. This decision was a victory for the parents—Rebecka Virden, Samantha Rowlett, and Nina Prater—who argue that the county’s prior actions amounted to coercion and viewpoint discrimination.
In a disheartening twist, Crawford County’s officials now seek to cover the anticipated $118,000 in parents’ legal fees by diverting funds from the library budget. This has drawn sharp criticism from the families, who argue it represents a deliberate effort to cripple library operations in retaliation for their lawsuit. The family’s attorneys assert that under Arkansas law, such a financial decision requires the library board’s approval, which could pose further legal challenges for the county’s administration.
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Photo credit arktimes.com