Censorship in South Dakota
RSSGov. Mike Rounds causes uproar by removing library's Web links
By Meg McCaffrey -- School Library Journal, 09/01/2004
Does a governor have the right to remove controversial links on a state library's Web site? No way, say library supporters in South Dakota who want links to Planned Parenthood and other helpful sites restored to the library's Teen Center section.
It all started when Republican Governor Mike Rounds demanded the removal of specific sites after receiving a letter from Bishop Robert Carlson of the Sioux Falls Catholic Diocese, who said the library was encouraging "our young women and men to turn to Planned Parenthood for any guidance, whether it be sex education or the intrinsic evil of abortion." Bowing to pressure from the governor, the state library board voted earlier this summer to remove the link.
Rounds then asked the library to remove a link to Go Ask Alice!, a Columbia University Web site that provides sexual health information. But the governor's directives didn't stop there—he requested that Teen Center be shut down pending a 60-day review of all its links. Eventually, two librarians deemed responsible for posting the links lost their jobs.
It didn't take long for protesters carrying anti-censorship signs to start gathering outside the Sioux Falls and Rapid City public libraries. "We're trying to uphold and protect the librarians' job to select materials," says Eric Abrahamson, the sole library board member to vote against removing the Planned Parenthood link. Joe Van De Rostyne, another board member, admits to having mixed emotions about his vote because although the board ultimately takes orders from the governor, the library's main duty is to provide information. "I'm against censorship," he says.
Meanwhile, Rounds has balked at being labeled a censor, saying that the sites can be accessed directly. But actions speak louder than words: since ordering the removal of the library links, the governor has organized a task force to review the Web sites of all state agencies. To make matters worse, Rounds is recommending that none of the library's online resources link to any organization with a political bent.
Although the result of the 60-day review is unclear, board members are pleased that there's still an ongoing dialogue, Abrahamson says. However, creating "objective criteria" for selecting online resources won't be easy, he adds. The board's next step is to review Teen Center's content and make recommendations to Education Secretary Rick Melmer. "Some of [the links] might go back online," says Richard Van Beek, vice chair of the board.
