Chicago

Suburban Library Official Voted Out to Applause After Alleged Homophobic Remarks

At the council meeting Tuesday night, many supported the decision to remove the board member—but not everyone.

A suburban library official was unanimously voted out of his position to applause from attendees at a village council meeting Tuesday night after he reportedly made homophobic comments about proposed inclusion training.

Art Jaros, a Downers Grove Public Library board member, allegedly made comments against homosexuality and tried to get a book banned from a high school because he did not agree with its content.

According to a report from the League of Women Voters, Jaros rejected inclusion training at the library and said “The Staff had to protect the children from homosexuals and exposure to homosexual life style.”

“He proceeded to continue to express his personal views on how we should view straight people vs. gays and reject any inclusion and people different from white straight people,” the report says.

The resolution put forth to the village council does no give a reason for Jaros’ proposed removal.

He filed a motion Tuesday seeking to have the village council barred from removing him from his position, the Chicago Tribune reports, which was denied by a DuPage County judge.

The judge did, however, say it would be better to address the matter after the village made a decision which could then be handled in court, the report states.

The newspaper reports Jaros as saying the League of Women Voters report is inaccurate but that he does think children shouldn’t be exposed to material that my confused them “about their sexual identity.”

According to the Tribune, Jaros is suing the League of Women Voters of Downers Grove, Woodridge and Lisle, the person who wrote the report on what he allegedly said and a village board member who apparently quoted the report for defamation.

"I never said the word white, I never said the word reject, and I'm sure I didn't use the word straight," Jaros told the Tribune. "So this interjection accusing me of racism is defamatory. I never said that. That's what got me so hot about this."

At the council meeting Tuesday night, many supported the decision to remove Jaros—but not everyone.

"I disagree with this board’s decision,” Downers Grove resident Larry Litrenta said. “So when the election comes around I will have to vote to fire all of you."

Jaros son and daughter-in-law reportedly asked for a kids’ book about gay pride be removed from a library in West Chicago—but the request was denied.

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