Amanda Jones, a middle school librarian in Denham Springs, Louisiana, says she no longer feels safe in public after being accused of trying to “groom” and “sexualize” kids by offering books with LGBTQ+ themes. Jones became a target of conservative groups after she spoke out against book banning at a meeting of the Livingston Parish Library Board of Control. She has since faced defamation by Facebook groups, who have accused her of promoting “sexually explicit and pedophilic materials” to kids. Jones is now suing the groups for defamation, but the attacks on her and other librarians have only intensified.
Jones is not the only librarian in Louisiana who has faced backlash for offering books with LGBTQ+ themes. State Attorney General Jeff Landry opened a webpage for residents to report the “taxpayer-subsidized [sic] sexualization of children” by librarians and educators, and he is pushing a state law to restrict what minors can check out at libraries. Landry’s actions have been criticized by several groups, including the Louisiana Library Association and the ACLU of Louisiana, who argue that he is violating First Amendment protections.
The attacks on librarians and book banning have become a contentious issue throughout the country. The American Library Association reported 681 attempts to ban or restrict over 1,650 titles and other library resources between January 1 and August 31, 2022. The ALA also predicts that the figures for 2023 will exceed those of 2022. In Louisiana, library board meetings have become increasingly contentious as pro-censorship activists have clashed with free-speech advocates and LGBTQ+ allies. Robert Judge, who opposed a local library hosting a Drag Queen Story Hour in 2018, was recently elected to the Lafayette Parish Library Board of Control. He has arranged for armed Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s deputies to flank the board during meetings and remove citizens who “disturb” or “interfere” by directly addressing or criticizing board members.
Librarians like Amanda Jones face a difficult battle against conservative groups and politicians who seek to restrict access to LGBTQ+ themed books in schools and libraries. While Jones plans to appeal her case, the attacks on her and other librarians are a troubling reminder of the ongoing fight for free speech and LGBTQ+ rights.
