Marxist Summer Reading Programs!

Coming to a Public Library Near You

The Collaborative Summer Library Program (CSLP) sounds like a completely harmless organization. It may, in fact, be assisting your local public library with your children’s or grandchildren’s summer activities by offering information, guidance, and materials, but don’t be deceived. CSLP is as corrupt as the Marxist-led American Library Association (whose president has made no secret about her espoused political ideology).  On the group’s home page (see https://www.cslpreads.org/), its obsession with Marxist DEI talking points is clear: “We stand in solidarity with those advocating justice and equal opportunity for everyone. We support those protesting against systemic racism and government corruption.”  Its mission statement further emphasizes its commitment “to empower libraries to foster community free from discrimination based on race, ethnicity, national origin, gender identity, or any other status.”  The guiding principle of the organization’s strategic plan is “Inclusion for All.”  In following this mandate, “CSLP is committed to providing resources, materials, and opportunities that reflect the diversity of our communities including all races, ethnicities, national origins, genders, and all other identities.”  The need to over-emphasize this DEI agenda reveals the organization’s egregious hypocritical ideology, but where CSLP really shows its true colors is buried in the newsletter archives that are publicly accessible on its website.

The April 2023 CSLP newsletter reports on the SEL efforts of its Child & Community Well-Being Committee which “has been collecting examples of library programming that promotes social and emotional health.”  One of the highlighted programs is “Queer Reads” described as “an LGBTQ-friendly book club for kids 12-18” and “a safe place to share thoughts.”  Another recommended program for 3^rd-5^th graders includes a discussion on what seems like an age-inappropriate topic—neuroplasticity—the ability of the brain to retrain itself to replace negative thoughts and patterns with positive ones.  Hmmm…neuroplasticity sounds a lot like the ability of the brain to be brainwashing itself.  You have to wonder what this program is really about. 

Meanwhile, on November 22, 2022, the CSLP Inclusion Committee hosted a virtual training led by Amanda Erickson from the Kaleidoscope Youth Center in Columbus, Ohio which expresses its purpose on its website: “Queer youth…we’re here for you” and further asserts, “Our diverse, experienced staff work alongside queer youth to create free programming, housing, and support services.”  The inclusion committee chose to offer this training “at a time when the LGBTQIA+ community has especially been a target of violence, and books with representative characters and stories are being challenged.”  It further asserts that it "is vital for all youth to find representation in books, and to feel safe in welcoming, inclusive spaces.”  Among the LGBTQIA+ topics covered at the training were “inclusive best practices using pronouns” and, far more alarmingly, “the process of becoming a disruptor." Disruptors were described as individuals who “support diversity in the community and the coming out process, calling out negative behavior toward LGBTQIA+ youth to create a safe space.” It was not explained in the newsletter exactly how these individuals should be disruptive, but a sense of ideological activism is conveyed by the word "disruptor" that is unsettling in the context of summer library reading programs.  Not surprisingly, a “safe space” was available for attendees after the presentation so that they could ask questions.

Where the motives of this insidious organization become abundantly clear is in its programming manual.  Tween/Teen activity suggestions include a program, "TikTok Dance Class," that promotes the use of a social media platform that has already proven itself harmful to youth. Another program, “Spread the Love,” encourages adolescents to leave “positive, uplifting messages to place in their favorite books” so that other readers can find them.  While this may initially sound like a nice thing to do, an accompanying page of Pride Icons that can be copied and used as part of the activity reflect the designer’s questionable motives. 

The graphics provided by CSLP, which can be used to promote summer reading programs and activities, subtly reinforce the woke agenda with the use of rainbow colors in its logo featuring hands of different sizes reaching towards each other.  The theme this year is “All Together Now,” a vague theme which conveys the idea of community building.  This may all sound fine to the unsuspecting parent but given what has been revealed in recent times about how hypocritical this focus on diversity, inclusion, and community-building has proven to be, the Marxist DEI woke agenda in public library summer reading programs must be challenged and the Collaborative Summer Reading Program should be boycotted.