LAKE LUZERNE. N.Y. (NEWS10) – Last month, the prospect of a family-friendly drag storytime hour turned into a controversial debate among Lake Luzerne residents. This week, the subject returns to the Rockwell Falls Public Library board.
On Tuesday night, the library board is set to further discuss a drag storytime hour initially set for April 15. Around 40 Lake Luzerne residents attended a library board meeting the week before the original event, protesting the story hour and stating their belief that a drag queen interacting with their children would endanger them, and expose them to inappropriate content. The event was postponed shortly thereafter, as the library stated its intent to further research whether a drag storytime event would be a good fit.
The agenda for Tuesday night’s library board meeting gives one immediate update – if the story hour does take place, Sagamore will not be the one entertaining. The performer has since relocated out of the area, and is not interested in rescheduling.
In a conversation last month with NEWS10, Sagamore said the event would have consisted of reading from three books, followed by a singalong and a craft. She emphasized that storytime events like this have nothing to do with sexualization, and are about making kids feel seen and understood.
“We feel that it is necessary for us to do additional research into the performer and the content of the show, and to share that information with the community,” the library board said in a statement upon canceling the event last month. “No future date has yet been set for a future scheduling of the event, but the decision of whether or not the program will be presented at Rockwell Falls Library will be announced to the public no later than June 1, 2023.”
Tuesday night’s meeting is set to cover the status of the library’s research, as well as reactions from library staff, and procedures for events in the future. The meeting begins at 6 p.m., and is open to the public.