Boone Regional Library in Columbia is hosting a “queer-led story time” directed to toddlers and preschoolers, with time to “meet new friends” afterwards.
— Attorney General Catherine L. Hanaway (@AGCHanaway) July 23, 2026
We’ve sent a notice to the library reminding them that providing pornography or sexual material to minors is against Missouri… pic.twitter.com/67CVG65Hm8
Stacey Shore and Lisa Panett, the Shield Maidens, will help break down the much-contested Amendments 4 and 5, and the impact of data centers in Nixa tonight at 6:30.
What: Learn about Amendments 4 and 5
Where: Godfathers Pizza in Nixa
When: Doors open at 6 p.m., presentation begins at 6:30
They ALL do it. They think they’re slick. We have a bunch of sleazy politicians in the @MissouriGOP & it’s embarrassing. We have got to start doing better, digging deeper, & looking at their values when voting. We have so much junk up there it’s insane. https://t.co/kjBCHjqHuY
— SAR (@BlondeBomb72) July 22, 2026
By Gretchen Garrity
If you ever wondered if our GOP SUPER MAJORITY is really just a pack of wolves in sheep's clothing, see how they 'dialog' with those in their own party who disagree with them. What we are seeing is an attempt to oust the grassroots activists, commentators and citizens who are hanging on to the party platform for dear life.
It is exposing these politicians and moneyed interests instead of destroying the grassroots. By attempting to smear and associate the grassroots with far-left groups, the GOP Establishment is using the same old tactics of divide and conquer. Two opposing sides can sometimes agree that a bill or an amendment is bad. They may have different reasons for it, but a bad amendment is a bad amendment. In the case of amendments 4 and 5, there are very reasonable arguments against them. You can watch the videos below to get an idea of why they are objectionable. That the Republican Establishment is pushing them so hard should give any voter pause.
Crazy ass Commies. https://t.co/FltNxoCzrt pic.twitter.com/MRkfZwFSg6
— ThePeoplesSpeaker™️🇺🇸 (@SpeakerTimJones) July 21, 2026
Not only has dark money flooded into Missouri in order to pass Amendments 4 and 5, but GOP establishment accounts are refusing to actually debate and dialog with those in their own party who disagree. They are conducting opposition research on their own fellow party members. They are smearing and openly lying. It is shameful, but it is exposing their real agenda.
Instead of arguing the merits of the amendments they resort to verbal attacks and smears. That should tell you their arguments will not win in the marketplace of ideas. Instead of intelligently arguing the pros and cons, they have made a strategic decision to use dirty tactics.
Watch:
Amendment 5 Dark Money Donors:
— Act for Missouri (@ActforMissouri) July 20, 2026
Why are those financially supporting Amendment 5 wanting to remain hidden from public view?
Watch this video created by the Shield Maidens of Missouri! #moleg pic.twitter.com/CRtMb5MFwA
Shield Maidens of Missouri - Act for Missouri Webinar of Amendment 5 https://t.co/qQ3gS7bLSz
— Act for Missouri (@ActforMissouri) July 22, 2026
A former head of a Chicago teachers union is now the Executive Director of the American Library Association. https://t.co/85rNo9sPiK
— Dan Kleinman @OccupyLibraries (@OccupyLibraries) July 15, 2026
I hadn’t read the Declaration of Independence since high school history class. Ah, yes, history class! In fact we had American history throughout the tenth grade, then world history during our junior year. When I listen to the TikTok crowd spew the nonsense they champion today, I… pic.twitter.com/TJtMt5lfhU
— James Woods (@RealJamesWoods) July 3, 2026
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| Mary Hernandez de Carl: CCL |
By Gretchen Garrity
When she first became involved with library activism, Hernandez de Carl put together a binder (which I briefly laid eyes on) that detailed some of the issues with books for minors. She spoke at board meetings and met with other citizens, eventually being appointed to fill Tuckness’ unexpired term. A former teacher and a homeschool parent, Hernandez de Carl was involved in hiring the library district’s new executive director, Will Blydenburgh.
When she was attacked by the press and local activists, I defended her. You can read about that HERE. While I do not regret supporting her appointment to the Library Board, it became clear over time that Hernandez de Carl had a basic misunderstanding of the role of the library board, especially in conjunction with the function and role of the library’s executive director.
Missouri statute directs the governing authority of a library district to a publicly-appointed board. The executive director is the employee of said board and is responsible for day-to-day functioning of the library district, as noted in statute. Further, the Missouri Secretary of State’s office outlines the legal authority of local library boards:
"The local Library Board of Trustees holds the legal authority to create, adopt, and change the policies of a public library district in Missouri. [1, 2]
Under Chapter 182 of the Revised Statutes of Missouri (RSMo), library districts operate under a system of local control. The board functions as an independent governing body to oversee the library's operations, finances, and rules. [1, 2, 3, 4]"
As detailed in other articles, previous Christian County library boards had given governance power over to administrative staff. Once given away, authority is difficult to take back. This issue is not just a problem in public libraries, but also in public schools and other local boards. Board positions become less about governance and more about rubber-stamping what administrative staff determine is best for a taxpayer-funded institution.
Perhaps Hernandez de Carl was not aware of the work involved, especially as relating to a library district that had given up some statutory authority to paid staff. She was appointed to the library board partly to make sure the library was following state and federal guidelines regarding the protection of minors. During her short tenure on the board of trustees, she was appointed to the policy subcommittee to help facilitate a coherent youth collection policy that protects children and provides a safe place for them to access age-appropriate books and materials.
The subcommittees were formed to provide a systematic approach to policy-making and to provide transparency. Subcommittee findings and recommendations would be shared with the library board, discussed, amended, and eventually voted upon in an open meeting. Instead of working within the parameters of the subcommittee (composed of two board members, at least one staff member, and the board attorney), Hernandez de Carl worked independently of the subcommittee with staff.
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| From: Hick Christian |
She was replaced on the policy subcommittee by board member
Kristin Roussell at the May 2026 board meeting. As a portion of her
parting address, which she prefaced as “honest reflections,” Hernandez de Carl accused
board members of blaming the executive director for legacy problems
that have carried over. Indeed, she blamed other board members for
delaying progress in the library.
Perhaps she does not remember that in the December 16, 2025 board meeting, she advocated for a pause on deciding policy. According to the Springfield Daily Citizen, "Treasurer John Garrity nominated Roberts to serve on the budget subcommittee and Mary Hernandez de Carl to the policy subcommittee. Hernandez de Carl, who advocated for a temporary “pause” to some subcommittee proceedings, voted in opposition to these changes.
“(Executive director Will Blydenburgh) has been here for three months. We still don’t have a strategic plan for what the next three years are going to look like, and you know, I think he needs, together with the library staff, to develop the strategic vision … and once that is established, we can see if it’s necessary for these meetings to continue to go on,” she said.
Policy development was paused for months. I am not aware of the development of a strategic vision for the library to date. This is a small example of why she seems to have a basic misunderstanding of the division of roles and responsibilities of a governing board versus administrative staff. Changing the culture of an institution is difficult. It requires vigilance and adherence to guidance that has been agreed upon by the governing authority—in this case the library board.
That decision has caused many months of delay in passing a policy that the board of trustees—not administrative staff--is statutorily tasked with formulating. The irony of accusing the library board as a whole of delaying progress while engaging in it herself, is just sour grapes.
It appears that when Hernandez de Carl did not get her way regarding how to handle policy development, she felt justified in attacking the board as a parting shot. Much of what she said was questionable, including equating the intention to protect children with a political ideology. Protection of children from harmful materials is not an ideological stance. It is a normal, natural human stance. Here is an interview with her from a year ago.
It was as if she completely forgot why she got involved and was appointed in the first place. When a heinous book, Sibylline, was added to the teen collection in February of this year, Hernandez de Carl was quick to suggest the book should be formally challenged. The executive director was made aware of the book at that open meeting.
The book is now listed in the Nixa branch under “Nixa New,” which does not really indicate a clear location designation. Why would it not be listed under the “Adult” designation? Is the “Nixa New” a display? If so, where is the display? Do minors have access?
Of course Sibylline is not the only book pushed out to minors in libraries. There are hundreds of them, such as “Rookie on Love” by Tavi Gevinson. It’s in the Ozark teen section. Here is a review of that book by Florida high school English teacher and champion of protecting children, Vicki Baggett:
In fact, three months ago, David Rice of Hick Christian, submitted 70 book challenges to the Library District. When I spoke with him in June, he still had not received an acknowledgment.
In her praise of the Library's new executive director, Hernandez de Carl did not mention the protection of children from harmful materials. She merely opined that the Christian County Library collection now provides a “thoughtful curation and respect for the interests of our community.” She completely failed to note that age-inappropriate books including those with sexual and transgender-driven themes are still being added to the collection, while hundreds of already-shelved books remain accessible to minors.
Hernandez
de Carl accused the board of “micro-managing,” “second-guessing,”
“unnecessary interference,” and “distrust.” Quite a litany of
accusations. Where is the evidence to back them up? She presented
none. And, she brought a political slant to her comments, noting that
the “Libs” had seemingly abandoned the library perhaps as a way
of giving the “Conservative Right” time destroy to themselves. NOTE: I
will add the video of her comments when it becomes
available. Scroll to the 34:00 minute mark:
Most people, whether Democrat or Republican, desire to protect children from harm. It is the iron grip of hard line Leftists (like the ALA) who are intent on indoctrinating children with age-inappropriate and sexually-driven materials.
Hernandez de Carl cannot have it both ways. Either the Library has made significant progress since the new executive director was hired as she averred at the beginning of her remarks, or her accusations of "unnecessary interference" and delayed progress against the Board are true.
If she had truly believed what she said about the Board, Hernandez de Carl should have brought her accusations to the Board as the governing authority and laid out her arguments. Instead, she chose to publicly berate the Board. What she really did was expose her own inability to work as a team member with the Library Board.
