Alabama Public Library Service Board Chairman John Wahl on Monday released a statement calling for “action to ensure that religious liberty is protected in Alabama’s public libraries” after the Eagle Forum of Alabama filed a federal lawsuit against the Tuscaloosa Public Library.
The lawsuit followed the library’s decision to deny religious groups the ability to rent public space.
“I am deeply troubled by the allegations in this lawsuit,” Wahl said. “If a public library opens its meeting rooms to community groups, those spaces must be available to everyone on equal terms. Denying access to a group simply because they wish to discuss issues from a Christian or religious perspective is unacceptable.”
The Eagle Forum of Alabama filed the lawsuit on March 10 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama after the Tuscaloosa Public Library canceled the group’s reservations. The library canceled the reservations because of the group’s religious discussion, including conversations about how Christian scripture informs current events, according to Wahl’s statement.
“Religious liberty is one of the most basic rights protected under the First Amendment,” Wahl said. “Public institutions should never discriminate against citizens or groups because of their faith. Libraries exist to serve their community—not to silence certain viewpoints.”
Wahl said he believes the Alabama Public Library Service has a duty to examine the situation and take action to protect religious liberty at the state board meeting Thursday.
“I believe the APLS Board should take a close look at this situation and consider what actions may be necessary to ensure that religious groups are not discriminated against in Alabama’s public libraries,” Wahl said. “No church group, Bible study, or faith-based organization should ever be told they are not welcome in a public, taxpayer-funded meeting room that is open to everyone else.”
Wahl said the issue is not about any single group but about the broader effect on constitutional rights.
“Whether someone agrees with Eagle Forum or not is beside the point,” Wahl said. “The real issue here is whether public institutions will respect the constitutional rights of citizens. Regardless of where someone stands on those debates, no organization should be denied access to a public meeting space simply because they are a Christian group. That kind of viewpoint discrimination is deeply troubling and undermines public trust.”
