Fresno Rainbow Pride officials said Tuesday they would waive the fee, but that did not prevent Supervisors Garry Bredefeld, Nathan Magsig and Buddy Mendes from voting to deny the request.<\/p>\n
In a more theatrical moment than is common at a board meeting, Bredefeld took out a sign to place on his desk that said \u201cno indoctrination of our children,\u201d which also underlined the first two words.<\/p>\n
\u201c(The library) should never be about promoting a political agenda for indoctrinating young, innocent and very impressionable children who accept the lifestyle or political agenda they have absolutely no business promoting,\u201d Bredefeld said before the vote.<\/p>\n
Bredefeld pushed a new policy<\/a> \u2014 Policy 80 \u2014 last year around what holiday celebrations<\/a> can be recognized with county funding and county employee time. While introducing it last year, he said he hoped the supervisors would remove support of Pride Month, which he described as \u201cindoctrination\u201d to push a \u201cpolitical ideology.\u201d<\/p>\n Supervisor Luis Chavez, who voted to approve the library participation, said the library should represent all people.<\/p>\n \u201cI do think there\u2019s value in our library attending these events and making sure that folks have access to our library services,\u201d he said. \u201cThey pay taxes, they also participate in our community.\u201d<\/p>\n The Fresno County Library participates in events throughout the year, attending them after they were invited, according to Sally Gomez, the county librarian. She said she could not think of any event in recent memory staffers did not participate in based on the event\u2019s subject matter.<\/p>\n While the supervisors can stop staffers from participating in a Pride event, they do not have any say over how the library displays books, according to Doug Sloan, the county counsel.<\/p>\n Critics of the Pride displays at local libraries have complained that books with LGBTQ+ themes around sexuality and gender are often placed at the front entrance during Pride, describing them as \u201cin my face,\u201d as more than one public speaker said during Tuesday\u2019s meeting.<\/p>\n State law says library staffers get to decide how books are displayed in the library. The supervisors have some say over library displays other than the books, Sloan said.<\/p>\n Bredefeld took exception to bookmarks, which come in about two dozen styles, the library has passed out to young people, including one he received in the mail from a complaining parent.<\/p>\n He said many of the books displayed on the bookmarks have LGBTQ+ themes, arguing the bookmarks amounted to indoctrination by library staffers. He went as far as to suggest the county may consider privatizing the library.<\/p>\n Gomez said she did not agree, adding the library often promotes its services at local schools.<\/p>\n \u201cI wouldn\u2019t call it advocacy or an agenda,\u201d she said. \u201cI think it\u2019s representation for the students.\u201d<\/p>\n More than one supervisor noted the county\u2019s vote on Tuesday was not related to the banning of any books regardless of subject matter. The supervisors don\u2019t have the power to ban any books.<\/p>\n While books were not banned, many members of Fresno\u2019s queer community took the vote as an affront on their existence, like local resident Madison Nield.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is a waste of time and money: using taxpayer funding in clarified language and manufactured outrage to make a group of Americans feel unwelcome in their own public institutions,\u201d she said. \u201cLibraries don\u2019t indoctrinate; they illuminate \u2014 and no supervisor has the right to dim that light.\u201d<\/p>\n Many of the speakers at the meeting who wanted the county to restrict county staffers pointed to their religious beliefs. Like Bill Scott, who said he had two gay brothers but did not support their sexuality.<\/p>\n \u201cI never thought they should be punished, but anyone who harmed them should be punished,\u201d he said. \u201cHowever, homosexuality is a sin. There\u2019s no argument against that.\u201d<\/p>\n Still, there were also religious leaders among the LGBTQ+ supporters, like the Rev. Simon Biasell-Moshrefi, senior pastor at The Big Red Church in the Tower District.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve heard it said that you cannot hate someone whose story you know,\u201d he said. \u201cI don\u2019t know if you\u2019ve heard the stories of my congregation, the individuals who don\u2019t feel like they belong anywhere else in the county.\u201d<\/p>\n Fresno County Supervisor Garry Bredefeld put a sign on the dais on Tuesday, May 12, 2026, before he voted against allowing the library to participate in Pride Month, and restricting some displays by the library. THADDEUS MILLER tmiller@fresnobee.com Bookmarks and LGBTQ+ books<\/p>\n
Supporters and members of the Fresno County LGBTQ+ community pray at a gathering Monday, May 11, 2026, to advocate for the Board of Supervisors to approve a request from library staff to participate in the Fresno Rainbow Pride event in June. THADDEUS MILLER tmiller@fresnobee.com
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