Remarks On LGBTQ+, BLM Books Bring Calls To Oust Library Trustee

FAIRFAX COUNTY, VA — A Fairfax County Library Board of Trustees member is facing criticism for comments about the diverse titles featured on the library's online catalog. The Virginia Library Association expressed opposition to Phillip Rosenthal's comments in a letter, while the NOVA Equity Agenda Coalition took it a step further and called for his resignation or removal.

Rosenthal brought up the titles featured in the library's catalog during a roundtable portion of the July 29 Board of Trustees virtual meeting.

"For one, as a trustee, I am appalled at what we are presenting to the public in today's time," Rosenthal said before mentioning specific areas he took issue with.

He first questioned the category of books by Muslim writers.

"I don't really have an issue with anything with books from Muslim writers, but why don't we have books by Catholic writers, or Mormon writers, or Jewish writers, or Baptist writers?"

Rosenthal said the category that "most upsets me" is the section titled "dismantling systemic racism," citing books by members of the Black Lives Matter movement.

"If we're going to put those in, then there ought to be some books to tell the other side. We're changing the history of America here. In the library, which is supposed to be nonpartial, is doing this."

On a similar category titled Race in America, Rosenthal said, "Black lives documentaries. Why don't we have some white lives documentaries?"

The other featured categories mentioned in Rosenthal's comments were rainbow reads for teens and young readers, or LGBTQ books. "Why don't we have the flipped side of rainbow books for teens?" he questioned.

"Those type of titles, highlighted, are offensive to many, many citizens of Fairfax County," he continued. "They're offense to the Catholic community, they're offensive to the Baptist community. They're offense to the Mormon community, and we're promoting it on our website."

Before his remarks, Rosenthal said "I'm not a racist," citing the presence of African-American employees at his company. Aside from serving as the Springfield District trustee on the library board, Rosenthal is the president of the Nationwide Credit Corporation and serves on the Fairfax County Community Action Advisory Board as the Springfield District representative. The board advises the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors on the needs, concerns and aspirations of low-income persons and recommends policies for change.

Rosenthal suggested there be some kind of review process for what kind of titles the library is featuring. A few trustees agreed with the need to discuss the review process.

Patch reached out to Rosenthal for comment but has not received a reply.

Dranesville District trustee Darren Ewing agreed with Rosenthal that the catalog homepage is "completely one-sided."

"If you go on the catalog homepage, it is social justice. There's nothing wrong with social justice, but you got to put it within a framework," said Ewing.

Fran Millhouser, chairwoman of the Board of Trustees, told board members if they have something on their mind, it's important enough to be considered as a new business item for meetings. In response to Rosenthal's comments, she recalled a patron who was upset about the balance of titles when she was a library branch manager.

"I sort of walked him through the balance of the collection that we had, and he used the phrase that I remembered...he said 'well this has been very interesting because I thought you just had a lot of left wing stuff, but I see that you have the other side, and you know it does take both wings to fly,'" she said.

Fairfax County Public Library director Jessica Hudson said she could get a staff member from the library's collection development to give a presentation to the board on the selection of featured materials.

"The library's goal of collection development is to provide both sides of an issue," said Hudson. "While we highlight some collections because there is either increased interest, and we want to make it easier to find those materials, or we're trying to support community initiatives. That doesn't mean the other materials aren't there for access."

Backlash to Rosenthal's comments

At least two groups have expressed opposition to Rosenthal's assertions about the diverse featured titles. In a letter to the Board of Trustees and Board of Supervisors chairs, the NOVA Equity Agenda Coalition called Rosenthal's remarks "unmistakably racist, homophobic, anti-Semitic, and anti-Islamic while criticizing the county's attempts to promote inclusion in its library catalog."

"By making those statements, Rosenthal demonstrated that he does not agree with the library policies intended to promote equity, and therefore cannot be trusted to uphold them in his position."

The coalition held a silent protest during an Aug. 24 Board of Trustees outreach sub-committee virtual meeting. Participants joined the Zoom virtual conference holding up signs with messages like "Black Books Matter, Queer Books Matter, Muslim Books Matter, Our Stories Matter, Resign," "Black Lives Matter" and "Resign Phil."

Rosenthal was not present during that sub-committee meeting.

The Virginia Library Association's letter did not mention Rosenthal by name, but said "statements made during the Fairfax County Board of Trustees meeting on July 29, 2020 run counter to the goals of a library, especially in one of the most diverse counties in Virginia."

The association cited the American Library Association's Library Bill of Rights, which maintains libraries should provide materials of different points of view on current and historical issues. The association believes the Fairfax County library system provides materials by authors of all backgrounds and perspectives and has added more titles highlighting all people who make up Fairfax County.

"Members of minority communities, be it racial, ethnic, LGBTQA+, and many others, have not always had opportunities to tell their stories," the letter said. "Not sharing those important diverse, inclusive, and equitable stories flips around mirrors, closes those windows, and shatters sliding glass doors.

During the sub-committee meeting, Braddock District trustee Brian Engler acknowledged that members received the Virginia Library Association and NOVA Equity Agenda Coalition letters and said public comment would be available at the next Board of Trustees meeting, scheduled for 7 p.m. on Sept. 9. The topic of diversity will be discussed at that meeting.

Residents can register as a public speaker by calling Jonathan Lutz at (703) 324-8324.

Following the meeting, Board of Trustees chairwoman Millhouser released a letter in response to comments she received from the public. She invited the public to participate in the Sept. 9 meeting, when trustees will have time for addition discussion.

"Fairfax County’s One Fairfax policy on social and racial equity remains a guiding statement for the Library, as well as its own collection development policy which affirms the American Library Association’s Freedom to Read statement," Millhouser wrote.

NOVA Equity Agenda Coalition called on the Board of Trustees and Board of Supervisors to start a process to have Rosenthal removed, as well as diversify the Board of Trustees to represent diverse viewpoints. The group also called for the removal of Ewing, who agreed with Rosenthal's comments during the July 29 meeting.

As the Springfield representative to the board of trustees, Rosenthal was appointed by recommendation of Springfield District Supervisor Pat Herrity. Trustee appointments are recommended by the respective district supervisor and must be approved by the Board of Supervisors.

Herrity provided a statement to Patch on the remarks by Rosenthal.

"My office has also received feedback supporting our appointees' views. I have always believed that open honest discussion gets us to better answers," reads the statement. "Interestingly several other trustees agreed there was a need for further discussion and possible action to have the website present a diversity of opinions. The public library is one of the most important institutions in our democracy. For that reason, it is especially important that it offer a balance of viewpoints to remain neutral and nonpartisan in representing many ideologies, religions, ethnicities, and stories. I look forward to seeing how the Library Board of Trustees works to more holistically encourage diversity of thought for readers in Fairfax County."