LEANDER, Texas — A big controversy about the Leander Public Library and drag queens has its city leaders taking a long hard look at their policies.
A meeting is planned Thursday to discuss potential changes after a drag queen storytime event led to a big debate and a protest in the city.
According to our partners at the Austin-American Statesman, that protest in June cost the city more than $20,000 because of police security. Now, the city council is looking to create new rules so this issue doesn't happen again.
The city is looking at new policies for renting conference rooms at the library. The conference rooms have been closed to rentals since all this happened.
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A protest took place in June after the Leander library canceled its Drag Queen Story Hour for kids. The next day, a church rented space in the library with plans to put drag queen storytime back on, but said its performer canceled and the event was changed to the Leander family pride festival and storytime.
All of this left the community divided.
"We're here to represent,” said Robert Simmons, a Leander resident. “We don't believe this is how tax dollars should be used. I'm also genuinely concerned for the children who are being dragged into this.”
"I want her to understand every single human being has the right to love each other,” another parent said about their child.
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The Statesman reported that city staffers are expected to present suggestions for renting the conference rooms that include requiring organizers to pay for security measures for disruptive events.
More than 700 people who live in Leander took a survey about the changes they wanted to see and that's expected to be presented as well.
According to the city agenda, the library's policies haven't been updated in several years. The city council will talk about the changes they want to make on Thursday.
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