“First they ban books, now they go after libraries. What will be next?”
By Brett Wilkins. Published 4-12-2023 by Common Dreams
Children and parents participate in an event at the St. Louis Public Library in this photo dated April 11, 2023. (Photo: St. Louis Public Library/Facebook)
Literacy and civil liberties defenders on Wednesday excoriated Republican state lawmakers in Missouri after they gave their final approval to a budget that would completely defund the state’s public libraries and other essential services.
In addition to cutting the $4.5 million allocated for public libraries in Missouri’s $45.6 billion state budget, the final package approved on Tuesday cuts all government support for diversity initiatives, childcare, and pre-kindergarten programs, Heartland Signal reports.
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