There has been much talk and speculation regarding the case surrounding Brenda Beisterfield, a librarian's assistant in Lindsay, California, who was fired after reporting a citizen who was using the libraries computers to view child pornography.
According to Beisterfield, once she witnessed the man viewing the degrading and inappropriate images, she called her supervisor to seek counsel as to how to handle the situation. She was told that she should simply give the man a note asking him to cease any further viewing of that type of material or else he would have to leave and she was instructed to not contact the police department. As many of you probably can relate, she was not comfortable with the advice she received so she contacted the police and was told by them to call ASAP if she witnessed that man or anyone else viewing child pornography in the library.
Days later the man returned and resumed his viewing of child pornography. Ms. Biesterfeld did not hesitate to contact police this time. They showed up and caught the accused, Mr. Donny Lynn Chrisler, 39, in the act of viewing the child pornography. They arrested him on suspicion of possessing child pornography and participating in the production or presentation of obscene matter in public places. The last count refers to a statute in California's penal code making it illegal to show pornography or other offensive material in view of the general public. The computer was also confiscated as evidence.
I find it important to note that Mr. Chrisler's home was searched and Police later reported finding more images of child pornography.
What happened next is unbelievable. Ms. Brenda Biesterfeld was fired from the library. Of course, her supervisors (the same one who said not to call police) claim that she was fired because she was on probation because she was a new employee and did not perform well enough maintain the position. However, Lindsay City Councilwoman Suzi Picaso said that six weeks before Biesterfeld's firing, an assistant of Lewis told her Biesterfeld was doing a great job so what happened here?
I think that it is easy to speculate that she was fired due to this incident. Her supervisors refuse to comment as to why she was fired but other public officials stand by Biesterfield and say that her dismissal was unwarranted and she should be applauded and praised for what she did. I agree.
The argument some have used regarding this is that Ms. Biesterfield violated the privacy rights of Mr. Chrisler when she reported him. I have to wonder since when is it a violation of a person's rights to report them for committing a crime? If this continues society will be in some serious trouble. What if he has actually raped someone there? Would reporting that have been a violation of his rights? Who or what are they trying to protect here?
For full story: Read Here
For a petition to have Ms. Brenda Biesterfield reinstated: Read Here
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Since when am I entitled to privacy in a public place? That arguement makes no sense. And don't get me started on the supervisors position that only child pornography should be reported. I think the line between pornograpy and art is very clear. Again, it is a public place - with children. If the computers that allowed access to sites of potentially pornographic sites were isolated and my child would not accidently be exposed to the content that would be one thing, however under no circumstances would I want my 13 year old daughter any where near a patron who was viewing erotic material of any kind.
I certainly hope that the library has a good paper trail demonstrating why Beisterfield was not hired after her probationary period. We do have whistleblower laws to protect people such as her. It is good public policy.
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I am absolutely appalled at what happened to this woman. She should not have been fired though I'm thinking that her supervisor should be.
Elaine
my blog: http://akhmmm.wordpress.com
This is absolutely crazy and it makes you wonder about the supervisor doesn't it?
Child pornography, in the library?? I would be outraged as a patron to find out that the library allowed access to pornography! That is disgusting and absolutely insane! And the fact that the supervisor wouldn't do anything about it and ALLOWED it to occur again is ludicrous. The pervert was breaking the law and the supervisor was willing to allow that to happen? Why didn't the supervisor get fired? If I were the librarian assistant, I wouldn't want to go back even if they BEGGED me to!
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