A Tennessee county’s top librarian lost her job after she refused to comply with a measure requiring LGBTQ-themed books to be moved from the children’s to the adult section.
This comes amid an ongoing national debate over libraries and schools presenting sexually inappropriate material to minors.
From AP News:
A Tennessee library board has fired the county’s top librarian for refusing to comply with its vote to move more than 100 LGBTQ books from the children’s to the adult section over its claims that they promote “gender confusion.”
The Rutherford County Library Board voted 8-3 on Monday evening to fire library system director Luanne James. James has previously said that relocating the books would violate her and county residents’ First Amendment rights and compromise her professional obligation against government-mandated viewpoint discrimination.
The case establishes the county southeast of Nashville as another focal point in the yearslong national fight over library content, often centering on racial and LGBTQ themes.
“Her story will echo from the Courthouse in Murfreesboro, TN, across the country, as emblematic of the fight against censorship and suppression,” said Kasey Meehan, director of the Freedom to Read program for PEN America, which advocates for freedom of expression on behalf of writers.
Last fall, a former Wyoming library director won $700,000 to settle a lawsuit after her firing. Terri Lesley was removed during an uproar over books with sexual content and LGBTQ themes that some people sought their removal from youth shelves, though Campbell County officials contended that only her performance played a role in her firing.
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Rutherford County Library in Tennessee voted 8-3 in favor of FIRING library director Luanne James after she refused to move over 100 books, including LGBTQ and DEI books, from the children's section to the adult section, which was grooming IMO. pic.twitter.com/mNoMN8XhlD
— Gordon Master (@45johnmac) March 31, 2026
The decision to fire James comes after the board voted to relocate certain books to the adult section in county libraries. James emailed the board after the vote and informed them she would refuse to relocate the books. During the meeting she said, “I stand by my decision and I will not change my mind.”
James’ lawyer issued a statement arguing that “Librarians should not be used as a filter for political agendas” and that she “stood up for the right to read, standing for the citizens of Rutherford County.”
The fight over books in libraries has intensified over recent years, with folks on the left arguing that those who do not want children to be exposed to sexually explicit content.
A new House bill would cut off funding for schools that offer materials discussing “gender dysphoria or transgenderism” to children. Progressives argues that banning or even moving these books to different sections amounts to discrimination against LGBTQ people.
In several states like Alabama, officials are tightening rules on what children are allowed to consume in public libraries. The Alabama Public Library Service Board’s new rule declares that content discussing “transgender procedures, gender ideology, or the notion of more than two biological genders” are not appropriate for children’s sections.
It’s amazing that so-called progressives are still fighting so hard to make sure children view sexual content in libraries and schools — especially when most people aren’t on board with it. They are clearly losing this battle, but they somehow think they can move the needle in the opposite direction.
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