Updated on March 16, 2023 at 3:35 p.m. ET
The East Lansing Human Rights Commission is pursuing a complaint of racial profiling against the East Lansing Public Library.
The commission received the complaint from the mother of a Black teen who she says was falsely accused of trespassing.
In January, Director of East Lansing Public Library Kristin Shelley called police on the teen after staff members claimed he was part of a group that started a fire in the men’s bathroom last year.
Staff claimed the teen had been on a no-entry list, but police later deemed him to be innocent.
East Lansing Human Rights Commission chair Liz Miller said she’s sending a formal letter to the library staff.
“We take any allegations of violations of civil rights in East Lansing very seriously,” Miller said. “That is the work of our commission and our charge from the city.”
Library officials will have 21 days to respond in writing.
“Once the response is received, the commission will then decide how to proceed, which could be anything from appointing an investigator to resolving the dispute through mediation or proceeding with a formal hearing,” Miller added.
Following the incident, the library's Board of Trustees formed a subcommittee to review its policies and code of conduct. The review includes consideration of the policy around giving and enforcing exclusion letters to patrons.
Shelley has not responded to a request for comment.
