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Library funding in Lafourche Parish, Louisiana, may be diverted to a new jail thanks to a legislator who doesn't approve of the library's programs. Jail proponent and chair of the Lafourche Parish Council Lindel Toups supports a ballot measure that would take funding away from libraries.

“They’re teaching Mexicans how to speak English,” Toups told the local Tri-Parish Times, referencing Biblioteca Hispana, a Spanish-language section of one of the nine branch libraries. “Let that son of a bitch go back to Mexico. There’s just so many things they’re doing that I don’t agree with. ... Them junkies and hippies and food stamps [recipients] and all, they use the library to look at drugs and food stamps [on the Internet]. I see them do it.”

Burn:

She noted that for Toups, the issue of the jail's condition is a personal one. "He does have family members that are incarcerated," she says.

http://www.latimes.com/books/jacketcopy ... z2kgma5F99" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Old news...

...in '81, following summer break, I went up to CSUS (then, Sac State) library third floor where most of the engineering/science nerds routinely studied, to find the entire floor had been "commandeered" for ESL - English as Second Language - study labs/tutoring. As most of the engineering reference was on that floor, I was more than a little pissed. The ESL program had exclusive use of that floor from 8a to 5p, 4 days/wk the entire semester. The following semester, the library moved SOME of the 3rd floors content down to ground level, but in the process, thinned about one third of the inventory. I have no problem with, in fact support, ESL programs, but NOT when it eliminates/removes opportunities from other students.

You may see this issue as bigotry, Jellydonut, but if you travel to a foreign country, would you find it reasonable to expect the local education system to defer resident educational programs to accommodate, in fact, fund, language programs to facilitate YOUR assimilation?

As a student in the early to mid '00's, all the engineering stuff was in the basement level. Plenty of space, study rooms, and room to congregate with fellow eng students.