Tennessee librarian fired for refusing to move more than 100 books from
children's to adult section
[April 01, 2026]
By JONATHAN MATTISE
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — 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.
Additionally, in December, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear an
appeal on a Texas free speech case that allowed local officials to
remove books deemed objectionable from public libraries.
The Tennessee decision stems from a March 16 vote by the board to
relocate the books to the adult section in county libraries. During that
meeting, board Chairman Cody York said it is dangerous and inaccurate to
tell children, particularly those going through puberty, that boys can
be girls and girls can be boys.
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In this photo provided by the Rutherford County Library Alliance,
advocates opposed to the removal of library books attend a meeting
of the Rutherford County Library Board in Murfreesboro, Tenn., on
Monday, March 30, 2026, during which the board voted to fire
Rutherford County Library System Director Luanne James due to her
refusal to move more than 100 books from the children’s section to
the adult section. (Ryan Rehnborn/Rutherford County Library Alliance
via AP)
Two days later, James emailed the board and said she would not move the
books. The meeting Monday was peppered with cheers and boos from the
audience. When it was James' turn to speak, she said, “I stand by my
decision and I will not change my mind.” After the board voted to fire
her, James' attorney read a statement from her in which she said she
thought the firing was an unlawful act of viewpoint discrimination.
“Librarians should not be used as a filter for political agendas,” the
statement said. “I stood up for the right to read, standing for the
citizens of Rutherford County.”
Rutherford County school board member Caleb Tidwell, meanwhile, spoke in
favor of moving the books out of the section for youth readers.
“Follow the law,” said Tidwell, who started his public comments with a
prayer. “Protect the children. Hold the line.”
Last year, the Tennessee Secretary of State's office sent letters to
library systems across the state requesting immediate reviews of what
was in their children's sections. They say libraries that receive
federal and state funding have to comply with applicable laws, and
mentioned Trump's executive order about gender ideology.
James was appointed as the county library director in July 2025. She has
worked for more than 25 years in public library roles, including
directorships in Texas and South Carolina.
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