The Houston Public Library acknowledged that it allowed a registered sex offender to read to children as young as 2 years-old at the Montrose library location.
The library confirmed one of the program’s drag queens, Tatiana Mala Nina, is Alberto Garza, a 32-year-old child sex offender who in 2008 was convicted of assaulting an eight-year-old boy.
“Most parents would not allow that individual to sit in this library and be held up as a role model to our children. Shame on you, Mayor Sylvester Turner!” said Tracy Shannon with the advocacy group, Mass Resistance.
Mass Resistance has been trying to put an end to the national program, “Drag Queen Story Hour” and contacted KHOU about the pedophile.
The group claimed it asked the City of Houston for months to disclose information about the drag queens– and received no response.
The Houston Public Library issued a statement in response:
“In our review of our process and of this participant, we discovered that we failed to complete a background check as required by our own guidelines. We deeply regret this oversight and the concern this may cause our customers. We realize this is a serious matter.”