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0000017c-83f8-d4f8-a77d-b3fd0d550001In January and February of 2019, local sentiments erupted over the Evansville-Vanderburgh Public Library's plan to hold a drag queen story hour.The issue to0k up hours of time at local government meetings, cost a former judge her spot on the public library board and in the end, didn't stop a thing. Here is complete WNIN coverage of the controversy

County Attorney Says Story Hour Could Open Library Door To Hate Groups

Isaiah Seibert
/
WNIN

The Drag Queen Story Hour controversy has prompted the attorney for the Vanderburgh County Commissioners to issue a warning about the event’s possible unintended consequences for the library.

A commissioner deferred a question to the county attorney during the public comment period at a meeting Tuesday afternoon.

David Jones began his remarks by discussing the relation between the commission and the library system.  

He then shared his legal opinion about what the story hour could mean for the future of library programming.

"If you wanted to have Neo-Nazis come down and discuss their point of view, I think you would have to do that," he said. 

We asked him for clarification after the meeting. 

"If you really are having something that is open and equal and it’s diversity, that word is a pretty wide term," he said. "If you prejudge somebody and automatically say without hearing what they’re saying that it’s hateful, then you prejudge speech."

The library says it's investigating comments made at the meeting. "We will respond accordingly when we’ve confirmed them and had time to learn more," a library spokesperson wrote in an email. 

Library officials have previously said the drag queens will not be voicing any opinions during the story hour. They will read books chosen by library staff. They will also abide by the library’s volunteer dress code.