Two Libraries Relent, Allow Kirk Cameron to Hold Faith-Based Story Hour Featuring His Latest Book

Of the 54 public libraries contacted with requests to allow a story hour with actor Kirk Cameron, featuring his faith-based book “As You Grow,” only two will allow him to rent space in their facilities. Even then, it was out of fear of facing “legal and financial consequences,” one library said.

These same libraries are known to have hosted and sponsored a “Drag Queen Story Hour” in the past. Similar events held across the country have exposed children to inappropriate contact with drag queens, and some drag queens participating in story hour events have been found to have criminal convictions for child sex offenses, child pornography, and prostitution.

Cameron will host story hour events to read his book on Dec. 29 at Indianapolis Public Library in Indianapolis and on Dec. 30 at Scarsdale Public Library in Scarsdale, New York.

A Rasmussen survey released in November showed that 60 percent of American adults consider “Drag Queen Story Hour” to be inappropriate for children, including 44 percent who said it’s “not at all appropriate.” While 79 percent of Republicans and 64 percent of independents disapprove of these events, 47 percent of Democrats surveyed believe “Drag Queen Story Hour” is at least somewhat appropriate for children, with 19 percent considering it to be “very” appropriate. Only 41 percent of Democrats believe it is not appropriate.

‘Against Their Core Beliefs’

Cameron’s publisher, Brave Books, reached out to 54 publicly-funded libraries that have hosted a “Drag Queen Story Hour,” hoping to schedule a reading of Cameron’s book, “As You Grow,” described as a “fun story with brilliant art that teaches the Biblical truths of the Fruit of the Spirit.”

“We wanted to see if they’re principled, believing all voices should be heard,” Trent Talbot, president of Brave Books, told The Epoch Times. “Or is this strictly ideological, and these libraries have been co-opted into being political and ideological instruments of the left.”

“We didn’t ask them to sponsor a story hour. We just asked for permission to rent a room, which should be easy to get,” Talbot said, adding that it wasn’t until later that they found out these libraries were actually sponsoring the “Drag Queen Story Hour” events. “They either didn’t respond to our request or they actively said faith-based book readings went against their core beliefs in the library.”

“That was stage one,” Talbot said. “Stage two was when Kirk issued an ultimatum to two libraries—one in Indianapolis, Indiana, and the other in Scarsdale, New York—saying, ‘You’re breaking the law by not allowing me to hold a story hour in your library, and either you cave and allow me to read books or I’m going to file a lawsuit.'”

While Cameron’s letters to the libraries do not specifically mention any possibility of legal action for the rejection of his proposal of a story hour, he does express hope that they “revisit that request.”

“As I understand from my publisher, your strategic plan for author visits includes a push for ‘authors of color,'” Cameron wrote to the library. He also expressed his surprise to learn how the library—while claiming to be “committed to inclusivity”—made the decision to exclude him based on his skin color and the religious beliefs expressed in his book.

While both the Indianapolis and Scarsdale public libraries have hosted and actively promoted “Drag Queen Story Hour” events by placing the events on their website calendars, Cameron’s event does not appear on the calendar for either facility.

‘We Are Not Interested in This Program’

The Epoch Times contacted the Indianapolis Public Library, asking if they were hosting Cameron’s event at their facility.

“No,” said the employee who answered the phone. “They booked a room here to have an event. We didn’t book a story hour.”

Asked why a publicly-funded library would not provide the same courtesy of promoting Cameron’s event as they did for “Drag Queen Story Hour,” the employee said the staff were “not allowed to talk about that.” She then provided an email address, which employees were told to give to anyone asking questions regarding the matter.

The Indianapolis Public Library did not respond to an email requesting comment.

Elizabeth Bermel, director of Scarsdale Public Library, advised The Epoch Times to view the new page on the library’s website, titled “Library statements regarding Kirk Cameron room rental.”

“Additionally, I feel it is important for me to emphasize that the Scarsdale Public Library is committed to our mission of encouraging the joy of reading, the exploration of ideas, and the pursuit of lifelong learning for the children and adults of our community, as well as equity, diversity, inclusion, and respect for all community members,” Bermel concluded.

The Library Statements

The first statement, dated Dec. 15, describes the interactions with Scarsdale Public Library as Cameron and his publisher and public relations company made efforts to schedule a story hour.

“We would love to schedule a story hour for Mr. Cameron’s book where we read As You Grow and speak to families about following the wisdom of the Bible, as well as discussing the harmful effects of woke ideologies, specifically CRT and the transgender agenda,” read the Dec. 6 email to the library’s assistant director from Cameron’s public relations company, Amplifi Agency.

“Thank you for thinking of us,” the library director replied, “but we are not interested in this program.”

A week later, Bermel received a letter in the mail from Cameron, “requesting to rent the Scott Room.” She replied with information regarding room reservations. As of Dec. 14, the statement said that “neither Mr. Cameron nor his representatives have completed the form to reserve the room.”

“Granting permission to use these rooms does not constitute an approval or endorsement of any individual or group by the Library, the Library Board of Trustees, or the Village of Scarsdale,” the statement concludes.

The second statement, dated Dec. 19, said Brave Books had submitted a request on Dec. 16 for a room rental. It was then made clear that “the event is not a library-sponsored program, but rather a meeting room rental, that cannot be rejected based upon political or religious content under the First Amendment.”

The difference between the two is then explained:

• A library-initiated or sponsored event is organized and promoted by library staff.
• A meeting room rental is when a group or individual submits an application and pays a fee to reserve a meeting room for their own purposes.

The library then reiterates that it “is not sponsoring an event by Brave Publishing,” and explains that the only reason Cameron’s event will take place at their facility is because “libraries may not exclude any group based on the subject matter to be discussed or the ideas for which the group advocates,” and “if the Scarsdale Public Library restricts potentially controversial groups’ access to meeting rooms, it may face legal and financial consequences.”

‘Very Encouraged’

While Cameron understands that there are “certain values being put forward in public schools and public libraries” that are the antithesis of the values upon which America was built, he said he is “very encouraged” that the two libraries he sent letters to “reversed course.”

“We’re 2-for-2,” Cameron told The Epoch Times. “So that’s encouraging.”

Cameron then spoke of “the waking giant” he believes is “waking up,” consisting of parents, grandparents, libraries, ministers, and concerned patriots who “want to get off the defense and get on the offense and do something.”

In a world “full of drug overdoses, school shootings, and cyberbullying,” Cameron believes people are starting to gravitate toward messages that teach “self-control, kindness, and faithfulness.” He sees them being emboldened “to fight for the culture they want for their children rather than just complaining about the culture others are creating for their children.”

As previously reported by The Epoch Times, several of the movies produced by The Walt Disney Co. that promote “woke” culture have flopped at the box office, while pro-America and spiritual films like “Top Gun: Maverick” and the independent Christian series “The Chosen” have been successful.

To Cameron, this demonstrates how the mainstream media and the entertainment industry “is completely out of touch” with the values held by the majority of Americans. He also suggested that events like “Drag Queen Story Hour” are “a takeover of values that ultimately sever the root of a free Republic like ours to grow.”

Ultimately, Cameron said he is grateful to have an opportunity to share his book and its values “to a community that may not be exposed to these kinds of values and to children who could really use these kinds of values.”

The aspect that Cameron finds interesting regarding the rejections, based on a rejection of a religious component, is that his book “doesn’t even contain a Bible verse. It doesn’t even contain the word ‘God.'” Without mention of the Bible or a verse, his book tells the story of “the Fruit of the Spirit” found in the Book of Galatians, which consists of “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control.”

“That’s what my book is about,” Cameron said, conceding that “there will still be some who don’t like it because they’re just not on board with biblical wisdom and those virtues.”

Libraries Were ‘Expecting Us to Back Down’

While Cameron accepts that some will never accept his book because it doesn’t embrace “woke” culture, Talbot sees it as little more than another example of cancel culture.

“I think they were just expecting us to back down and to go our own way when they said no,” Talbot said.

Despite the efforts of both libraries to downplay the events, Talbot said they anticipate a lot of attention.

“Based on what we’ve been hearing from people in those communities, this is going to be a very lively event,” Talbot said. “We’re expecting a ton of people to come out in support of our mission and our values about teaching Biblical wisdom. But we also expect a lot of people to be protesting. So, it should be fun.”

“The actions of these libraries provide a window into the dark reality that the major institutions in this country have become anti-God, anti-tradition, anti-western culture, and anti-nuclear family,” he said. “They are being used to sexualize our children and to tear down both the church and the faith. It’s a good synopsis of what is plaguing every aspect of our culture.”

Asked about the recent survey showing the majority of Americans do not find “Drag Queen Story Hour” to be appropriate for children, Talbot said he was not surprised.

“It has been 100 percent rejection, except for the two libraries that we threatened with a lawsuit,” Talbot said. “The fact that the vast majority of the people in this country believe that ‘Drag Queen Story Hours’ are sick and an abomination that should be nowhere near our children should tell you something. Public libraries are sponsoring them, promoting them, and paying drag queens to do them, and they won’t even allow a faith-based book to be read in their facility. The discrepancy in how we are being treated signals just how debased institutions have become in this country.”

“Change starts in the home,” Talbot concluded. “We can’t be the generation that gives our children over to this deranged, satanic agenda that is trying to demoralize and sexualize our youth. That should be a red line for all Americans. We can’t be the generation that allows this to happen on our watch.”