Please Don't Have Sex In The Library

Source: City of Toronto via Flickr

University of Texas at Tyler Police arrested two individuals this fall on charges of public lewdness, according to a police report obtained by The Campus Conservative Blog.

According to the report, on Nov. 29 at approximately 11:57 p.m. UT Tyler police responded to the campus library about a complaint of public lewdness.

Police arrested Camden Lepley, 20, and Vanessa Morgan, 21, on probable cause after investigation and after detaining them in Room #313.

The two were booked into Smith County Jail on $1,000 bonds apiece.

According to KLTV, these individuals were not students and were issued criminal trespass warnings. (In other words, “Don’t come back.”)

Charge vs. Guilt

It’s important to recognize that a charge of public lewdness is not the same as a confession or admission of guilt. However, probable cause means the investigating officer examined the evidence available and determined an act of public lewdness had occurred.

What Kind of Act? 

It’s unclear what kind of sexual act the two were allegedly doing since the Texas Penal Code has three categories of behavior that qualify under the definition of public lewdness: sexual intercourse, deviate sexual intercourse (oral or anal sex) and sexual contact (fondling).

So who knows? We sure can guess.

According to the report, an assistant librarian became aware of the event, but the police report is redacted, so it doesn’t say how. (One can wonder).

Did This Lead to New Carded Entry?

Consequently, this incident may be the reason the library is moving to a closed, carded entry starting the week before Final Exams. Robert R. Muntz Library Executive Director Jeanne Standley went to student government on Feb. 13, 2018 to ask for its support to close the library to the public after 10 p.m.

She said the staff had a bad experience with two non-students in the fall. This case seems to match her description. The library has yet to respond to a request for comment.

Standley said there haven't been many problems with outside patrons in the past, save for one incident last fall where the police were called on two individuals in the library.

— Patriot Talon (@PatriotTalon) February 13, 2018

I’ve also asked about what the University does to ensure these study rooms are clean given this kind of activity. The University has not yet responded to requests for comment.

Not Cool

However, getting your freak on in the library is something students have been rumored to do for decades, at least at some schools. Even a simple internet search can reveal shameless articles about how to have sex in the library with tips and instructions.

People may joke about it being fun and “just a good time,” but sex in a public place, especially your school’s library, is not cool.

It could affect your career. For example, when employers Google your name, they could bring up your mugshot and inmate number at the Smith County Jail instead of your LinkedIn profile. This could mess with your employment potential.

It’s also embarrassing. The lawyer for Alexandria Morra, a 22-year old model who was arrested on public indecency after she filmed a sex show in a public library, told CBC News that she was embarrassed by the act and to have to face family and friends to explain what happened. She’ll also have to tell her kids someday too, since the Internet is forever. It can be embarrassing.

It's also expensive. For example, a former Oregon State University student faced a $6,250 fine and up to a one year in jail for public indecency after she filmed herself committing a sex act in her university’s library. Six grand is expensive.

Most of all, it's rude! Your fellow patrons do not want to hear you doing the two person push-up when they’re trying to do their homework! That is just seriously rude.

Moreover, it’s not just pushing the consequences of your actions onto other patrons that's rude, but also onto the library staff, who has to deal with that stuff more often than patrons.

To illustrate, a student newspaper at U.C. Berkeley published an opinion article in which the student author extolled her library sex experience and encouraged others to try it. Here’s what commentor “Librarian” had to say in the in the comments:

“Please don't f*ck in the library. I work here. My staff works here. I told my staff I'd do what I can to make sure theirs is a safe and happy workplace. Now, in addition to pedophiles, thieves, and people with poor bowel function, I've got kids using sh*tty liberal arts justifications to f*ck in the library.

“Please don't f*ck in the library. I work here. My staff works here. I told my staff I'd do what I can to make sure theirs is a safe and happy workplace." -U.C. Berkeley Librarian

"I don't want to rain on your liberating parade or interfere with your bucket list, but you don't have to deal with the complaints. I know you would like your sex life to be more exciting, but do you know what is also exciting? Getting to work and thinking, "there won't be people f*cking in the library today" Now that is liberating.

"Incidentally, thank you for advising people not to ejaculate in the library. After cleaning up garbage, graffiti, sh*t that is apparently dropped from 10 feet above the toilet, and a variety of bodily fluids, I hesitate to ask cleaning staff to add ejaculate to that list.”

Well said!

Having sex in the University library can affect your career, is expensive, is embarrassing and, most of all, is totally rude! Please please please, don’t have sex in the library! We’ll all be better off.

Twitter: @jhescock