Alabama's conservative lawmakers and political leaders announced Tuesday that the Alabama Public Library Service (ALPS) Board of Directors passed the bill unanimously on Tuesday. withdraw membership In collaboration with the American Library Association (ALA).

ALPS has come under intense scrutiny in recent months over the presence of sexually explicit books in the children's section of local libraries. Some members of Congress feel that their relationship with ALA exposes them to a woke agenda that is being forced on children.

ALA's mission is “to develop, promote, and improve library and information services and provide leadership for the librarian profession to enhance learning and ensure access to information for all.” However, some lawmakers argue that the ALA has undergone transformation. to radical activist organizations.

Related: Alabama library stalls termination of partnership with national group accused of 'Marxism'

State Representative Susan DuBose responded to the move, saying, “I was pleased to see that the Alabama Public Library Service has decided to withdraw from the American Library Association.” “We have seen the ALA, once a respected professional organization, transform into an activist group led by a Marxist president.”

Dubose (R-Hoover) has been an outspoken opponent of sexually explicit books being available to children in libraries.

“ALA membership has declined by more than 20 percent in recent years,” DuBose continued. “This is evidence that libraries across the country are no longer aligned with ALA’s goals. I support APLS’ decision to withdraw from ALA and would encourage local libraries to follow suit and withdraw. .”

State Sen. Chris Elliott also praised the board's decision, but said it doesn't go far enough.

“Governor Ivey put some pressure on them. They responded,” said Elliott (R-Josephine).

“And my bill for libraries is very simple: Local library boards can be appointed by the appointing authority, and they can be fired by the appointing authority. That's the way our republic is supposed to be. ” And I think we're going to see at least some of the response to that, at least at the state level. All we need to do is pass this bill so we can do the same at the local level. ”

Senator Elliott believes that libraries need to be responsible to people in their communities.

“So my goal here is to make sure that the local elected officials who appoint these directors hear from the people they go to church with, the people they go to school with, the people they go to the grocery store with. “And that local elected official can basically answer what was in the library,” he argued. “And that library commissioner was going to have to answer to the local elected officials who saw it.”

“I don't think there's anything that comes this close to home than the books a child is reading,” Elliott said.

RELATED: State Sen. Elliott: Local officials 'should have the power' to fire library commissioners

Clean Up Alabama, a group that has publicly opposed ALA, said in a statement that this is a good first step.

“[T]”While his decision not to renew his ALA membership is certainly better than the alternative, it is not the same as withdrawing from ALA,” the statement said. “If we expect to see long-term change in Alabama's public libraries, we need to completely sever ties with ALA.”

Gov. Kay Ivey made the recommendation for the service in a letter to APLS Director Nancy Pack in October.

Her ideas include making state aid to local libraries conditional on the adoption of wise policies to increase parental oversight of children, and making all spending of public funds to the American Library Association publicly available. This included seeking approval from the relevant governing authorities at a public meeting. , and reaffirms that local libraries are responsive to parents' concerns about sexually explicit and other inappropriate materials.

Yaffee is a contributor to Yellowhammer News and hosts “The Yaffee Program” weekdays from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. WVNN. You can follow him on Twitter @Yaffee