Louisiana: “St. Tammany Library Board Members Sue Over Removal”

UPDATE 2: Statement in Support of Dismissed St. Tammany Library Trustees in Lawsuit Against the Parish (via EveryLibrary)

UPDATE 1: Statement: Support Our Existing Library Board Of Control (via St. Tammany Library Alliance)

From the Louisiana Illuminator:

Three St. Tammany library board members removed after a years-long fight over book content are suing the parish council and one of its district representatives in an attempt to block their removal.

Their federal lawsuit comes after the parish council voted earlier this month to replace five of the six members of the St. Tammany Library Board of Control, a volunteer body that oversees the parish library system. Their removal culminated months of contentious fights.

Conservative activists in the parish, led by the far-right St. Tammany Library Accountability Project, attempted to ban more than 150 books it deemed sexually explicit. Most of the titles challenged have LGBTQ+ themes. The library board repeatedly refused to limit access to the books, rejecting arguments that the books were sexually explicit. Their refusal put them crosswise with the new, more conservative parish council that took office earlier this year.

Learn More, Read the Complete Article (about 600 words)

See Also: Full Text of Complain Filed in Lawsuit (via CourtListener)
(25 pages; PDF)

Filed under: Libraries, News