RUTHERFORD COUNTY, Tenn. (WZTV) — Nearly six months after her firing in a dispute over where children’s books should be shelved, former Rutherford County Library System Director Luanne James is suing the library system, its board and eight board members.
James alleges she was fired in retaliation for refusing to move about 130 books from the children’s section to the adult section and for opposing what she describes as discriminatory censorship.
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She filed a 71-page federal complaint on Sept. 23 in U.S. District Court in Nashville. The defendants include the library system, its board and board members Cody Ryan York, Beth Duffield, Jeffrey Wiencek, Sam Huddleston, Susan Quesenberry, Darrell Thomas, Dina Piazza and John Curtis.
The complaint says the board voted 8-3 on March 16 to relocate about 130 books from the children’s section to the adult section. James emailed the board two days later saying she would not carry out the directive, arguing it violated the First Amendment and the library system’s reconsideration policy.
The board voted 8-3 on March 30 to fire James. Her complaint says the termination letter cited insubordination for refusing to follow what the board called a legally binding vote. James alleges that explanation was a pretext for retaliation.
The lawsuit traces the dispute to a broader review of children’s materials.
James says library staff reviewed about 60,000 books and flagged roughly 2,200 for further review. She recommended keeping most in the children’s section, moving 444 to the young adult section and six to the adult section.
The complaint says the board accepted those recommendations while allowing individual members to bring books back for another vote.
James alleges the later relocation vote singled out books with LGBTQ characters or themes, including some titles the board had previously voted to keep in the children’s section. The complaint says the board’s action was taken without following the library’s established reconsideration process. The board’s earlier public position, as reported by The Associated Press, was that some of the material promoted “gender confusion.”
The complaint brings claims under Title VII and federal civil-rights laws, alleging sex discrimination, retaliation and violations of the First Amendment and the Constitution’s Equal Protection Clause. James also alleges a conspiracy among board members and claims the defendants favored a particular religious viewpoint in library policies. The complaint further challenges age restrictions the board adopted after her firing.
James is seeking back pay, front pay, lost benefits, emotional-distress damages, attorney fees and other relief. She also asks the court to order the defendants to stop the alleged discrimination and retaliation.
The library system held a special called board meeting the evening of Oct. 12 to consider actions related to James’ lawsuit. FOX 17 News will attend and give updates as they come in.