Kirk Cameron Accuses Library Association of Religious Discrimination

First Liberty Institute has called for an investigation into the American Library Association (ALA) amid allegations that the taxpayer-funded organization is conspiring to deny library access to thousands of citizens based upon intolerance of their religious beliefs.

The nonprofit Christian law firm based in Plano, Texas is representing actor and author Kirk Cameron and his publisher, Brave Books.

In a letter issued last week to the Institute of Museum and Library Services in Washington, D.C., First Liberty wrote: “On behalf of our clients Brave Books and Kirk Cameron, I write to request that the Institute of Museum and Library Services (‘IMLS’) open an investigation into whether the American Library Association (‘ALA’) has violated federal law protecting religious liberty and failed to comply with the assurances of nondiscrimination required as a federal grant recipient.

“Despite the effort of our clients to encourage thousands of Americans to visit America’s public libraries, the ALA strongly criticized our clients’ encouraging local community members to use libraries to read books. More concerning, ALA’s director for its Office for Intellectual Freedom, Deborah Caldwell-Stone, appears to base the ALA’s opposition to our clients upon their religious beliefs.”

Cameron and Brave Books recently announced a “See You at the Library” book event for Aug. 5. They are “calling on all families who love God and love America to gather at our local public libraries to pray, sing, and read BRAVE Books and other books of virtue,” according to the Brave Books website.

But Cameron told Fox News Digital that they had seen a video by the ALA that included “how to prevent Brave Books story hours from happening at libraries across the country.”

Cameron stated: “While I’m trying to encourage thousands of Americans to visit public libraries and read wholesome books to their children, the taxpayer-funded American Library Association is not only criticizing me, they are teaching libraries to break the law and conspiring to prevent thousands of families from visiting their own community reading rooms. Rather than being an example of genuine respect and non-discrimination, the ALA is the champ in excluding viewpoints it disagrees with and [is] preventing families from using libraries to read to their children about faith, hope and love.”

Jeremy Dys, senior counsel for First Liberty, said in a press release: “While claiming to promote equality and diversity, the ALA is conspiring to deny access to thousands of citizens based upon open intolerance of their religious beliefs. Such actions are blatantly unconstitutional. Federal taxpayers should not be required to fund such bigotry and intolerance.”

Since December, Cameron has been touring the country and reading his books to thousands of children and their parents at public libraries, many of which have also previously hosted drag queen story hours.

“God gave our children to us—not to governments, not even to churches,” Cameron said during a May stop at the Billy Graham Library. Cameron’s book As You Grow promotes Biblical virtues identified as the fruit of the Spirit, and his newest children’s book, Pride Comes Before the Fall, was released in June amid the LGBTQ “Pride Month” emphasis.

Cameron told Fox News Digital that he and First Liberty “have launched an investigation with the federal government to hold the American Library Association accountable for their religious discrimination, willful violation of the Constitution and the ALA’s own internal rules to allegedly protect all people’s access to public libraries. Accountability is coming.”