The attacks on free speech in U.S. libraries just keep coming! Rutherford County in Tennessee fired their library director, Luanne James, last March after she gained national attention by refusing to remove 132 books from her children’s section. James has now filed a Frist Amendment lawsuit. The lawsuit states that her firing “violated not only Ms. James’ constitutional and statutorily protected rights but trammeled on the community’s constitutional rights as well.” The 132 books being targeted contain LGBTQ content but also included some flagged for “female empowerment,” “diverse children in urban setting”, and “witches.”
James is not the first librarian to fight back while defending free speech. Hard Copy reported last year that Terri Lesley, a Wyoming library director, who was fired for refusing to remove similarly targeted books was awarded a $700,000 settlement over her termination.
