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A Tennessee library director was fired after he and woke staffers disrupted a conservative event held by author Kirk Cameron, where a female swimming champ blasted trans athlete Lia Thomas.
Allan Morales was ousted following a 4-3 board vote to fire him earlier this week after the chaotic February 25 event at Sumner County Library.
That saw staff allegedly play loud music, shout and slam books while Cameron and NCAA swim competitor Riley Gaines recorded clips promoting their work.
Morales himself was accused of being ‘unkind’ towards Cameron and his group.
The Sumner County Library Board has now voted 4 – 3 to fire library director Allan Morales for failing to control his staff members at the controversial event, according to the Tennessean.
He was slammed for failing to control his staff, and for having a poor attitude towards a booking his library had agreed to honor.
Cameron, a former child actor had been scheduled to read his book As You Grow at the Hendersonville Library. It encourages families to focus on Bible teachings rather than critical race theory and transgenderism.
The Sumner County Library Board voted to fire Allan Morales for his actions ‘related to the Kirk Cameron event’ on February 25
The Growing Pains actor, 52, was hosting a story time at the Hendersonville Library to read his new book As You Grow
The Tennessee event was sponsored by Christian publishing company Brave Books that featured University of Kentucky swimmer Riley Gaines and reality star Missy Robertson of Duck Dynasty.
Brave Books had officially hired the library for the event, with Morales expressing concern it would be ‘political’ in the days leading up to the visit after reading a conservative op-ed by Cameron on Fox News.
And when Cameron, Gaines and Robertson went to film a promotional video for his book tour, library staff members started talking loudly, playing music and banging cabinets in protest at the conservative visitors’ views.
The incident was just the latest backlash facing the 52-year-old Growing Pains star after publishing his children’s book, which several libraries across the country have banned him from reading at story hours.
Gaines was filmed upbraided an unseen staff member at Sumer County Library shortly after recording a segment where she bemoaned having to compete ‘against biological men.’
A loud slam could be heard in the background, with Gaines marching up to the help desk and blasting the ‘immature’ staffer for their behavior.
They stayed out of sight, but a female library worker who was visible appeared to agree with Gaines.
The former student athlete, who has spoken out against trans women competing in some sports, said that letting her finish recording the clip in peace would be the quickest way of ending the visit that was bothering the library staffer.
Former child star Kirk Cameron had top billing at the February 25 event, which saw him read from his new anti-woke book As You Grow. It encourages families to follow Bible teachings while rejecting critical race theory and transgenderism.
Staffers are also said to have spoken loudly, played music and made other banging noises while Cameron and Gaines tried to record – although only one incident was captured on camera.
A video posted online showed NCAA swimmer Riley Gaines speaking out about competing against transgender females when loud banging could be heard in the background
In an email ahead of the event, Morales expressed his concerns about holding the event
Brave Books was able to get a contract with the Hendersonville Library stipulating they could use the facility’s community room for a story hour, and was reportedly allowed to film promotional videos in the foyer.
But prior to the event, a series of email messages between library officials and a Brave Books representative show Morales was concerned about the event’s size and that it would become political in the days leading up to the story hour.
He noted in one of the messages that a recent FOX News article created a ‘stir’ in the community, and that the activities and guest appearances described by the outlet were not part of their original agreement.
Morales also asked about potentially moving the event to a nearby church.
‘Our invitation was sincere to read a book during our story time,’ he wrote in a February 22 email. ‘We guard that time because it is for small children and not adults. We work hard at not promoting any agendas left or right.’
‘If I do not hear from you within 30 minutes, we will officially cancel the event.’
Though Morales did not specify the FOX News article he was referring to, it is possible he was referencing one entitled Nashville-bound Kirk Cameron rips today’s woke culture: ‘Tides might finally be turning.’
In the article, Cameron promised that he would spread ‘his messages of faith, family and personal freedoms’ to the Tennessee library.
‘I’m hitting the road and going state to state, library to library, to sound the alarm and wake up those who are asleep or on the sidelines — so that we can win back the hearts and minds of our children,’ he said.
On the morning of the event, Cameron posted a video reassuring the public that his event was still taking place at the library despite rumors saying it had been moved to a nearby library
Brave Books was able to get a contract with the Hendersonville Library stipulating they could use the facility’s community room for a story hour
Then on the day of the event, Cameron had to reassure the public that the event was still being held at the library and not at a church down the street.
‘It’s going to be a beautiful morning, and we’re expecting a big turnout here at the library,’ Cameron said.
And following the event, video posted online showed Gaines filming a promotional video in which she speaks out against transgender athletes competing against biological females when loud bangs could be heard in the background.
At that point, Gaines decided to confront one of the female librarians, who was laughing at the commotion.
‘This is just immature,’ Gaines tells the adult librarian. ‘And it’s honestly really disrespectful. Like you guys are old enough to know that that is extremely disrespectful.
‘Like to slam your feet or books or whatever on the ground, that’s pretty ridiculous.
‘We have 60 more seconds, and that’s all that we ask of you guys and it would be way quicker if we weren’t slamming books and stomping our feet.’
The librarian seems to agree with Gaines, who then goes back to recording her message.
Gaines had rose to national prominence after speaking out about competing against transgender swimmer Lia Thomas, calling the competitions unfair. She later appeared at CPAC, publicly supporting former President Donald Trump.
Speaking of the event to Blaze TV’s Unashamed with Phil and Jase Robertson, Missy Robertson claimed a Brave Books team member tried to speak to someone in charge at the library of they could keep their staff down for a few minutes while they were filming.
The unnamed individual then allegedly replied something to the effect of: ‘You’re not even supposed to be here.’
Then, when Gaines asked staff to turn the music off for a few seconds, a female library staff member replied she had no authority to turn off the music and that the staff were looking for new ways to cope with ‘stress.’
Robertson also noted that there was ‘tension’ leading up to the event, with an unnamed individual attempting to lead a campaign against the library event.
Gaines had rose to national prominence after speaking out about competing against transgender swimmer Lia Thomas
She later appeared at CPAC, publicly supporting former President Donald Trump
Community member Charlena Aumiller claimed the librarians were just trying to work while Gaines was filming
Tim Jones, a county commissioner who was present at the event, also posted on Facebook that he believes Morales did not intervene when his staff became disruptive, and maintained a negative attitude despite the mayor expressing support for the event.
‘We had an opportunity to be, as the Bible and Ronald Reagan referred to “a city on the hill,” a beacon for the nation to see why so many have moved here,’ Jones wrote. ‘Instead, we are an embarrassment.’
He noted, however: ‘For the record, I do not think Mr. Morales is a bad man. I believe him at his word that he is a Christian.
‘I do not think this should be a question in anyone’s mind. I would never judge that. I believe bad decisions were made.’
He then clarified that he did not believe the majority of the library staff were involved in the disruptions and called for people to treat them with respect.
But community member Charlena Aumiller claimed the librarians were just trying to work while Gaines was filming.
‘This may come as a shock to people, but librarians actually work at the circulation desk — they are working, and it is not their job to make sure a commercial can be made.
‘This event was a political ploy,’ she continued, ‘and it seems they did not raise enough money from subscribers at the event, so they are trying to make it relevant days later by attacking the librarians in a money grab video that is evidence they were using the public area of the library that was not part of the lease (and where general operations occur), and they were doing so to solicit funds.
‘I appreciate those of you who gave support to our Hendersonville Library director and librarians prior to and during the event,’ Aumiller concluded.
‘Those of you who stand by while they get vilified by people (some who aren’t even county citizens) for doing their jobs — or even add fuel to the fire — shame on you. Shame. On. You.’
Morales, meanwhile, told the Tennessean he will not speak about the event.
‘I don’t want to add to all this,’ he said. ‘I’m hoping now that they have fired me that the community can move on.
‘There’s not much of a point to giving my side,’ Morales claimed. ‘At the end of the day, I don’t hate anybody.’
Cameron is pictured here reading to the children at the event in Hendersonville
He previously faced difficulty trying to get public libraries to host his story hour
And for her part, Gaines said: ‘I hate that it resulted in termination.
‘I don’t know if it was politically driven,’ she added. ‘There were bomb threats [reported], a lot of things going on [leading up to the event]. I don’t know if it is an accurate representation of him.’
Henderson police have said the library received 14 bomb threats from the same account over a short time period referencing death and blowing up a building.
Authorities have now charged Mark Frankl, 49, of Connecticut, with making a false bomb threat and harassment. He was arrested on Thursday, and will be extradited to Tennessee.
Still, Cameron wrote on Facebook on February 28 that the event went well.
‘Despite the rain and the unkind pushback (from one disgruntled librarian ), an OVERFLOW crowd of families, mayors, county commissioners and celebs welcomed and joined us at the library in Hendersonville, TN for singing the National Anthem, Pledge of Allegiance to the flag, praying and teaching faith in God and moral values to our kids.’
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