Librarian sues over accusations that kids' section contains "erotic" books

[Nevilledog]

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A school librarian from Louisiana is suing two men for defamation after they accused her of wanting to keep "pornographic" material in the kids' section at a parish library.
ewly donated LGBTQ+ books are displayed in the library.
axios.com

Librarian sues over accusations that kids’ section contains “erotic” books
Parents and conservative activists nationwide have pushed school districts to remove books that include LGBTQ materials.
11:35 AM · Aug 13, 2022

https://www.axios.com/2022/08/13/librarian-sues-conservatives-louisiana

A school librarian from Louisiana is suing two men for defamation after they accused her of wanting to keep "pornographic" material in the kids' section at a parish library.

Why it matters: The librarian, Amanda Jones, is one of the first to fight back against accusations made against teachers and educators regarding LGBTQ materials.

Driving the news: Jones, president of the Louisiana Association of School Librarians, filed the lawsuit Wednesday, arguing that two men, Michael Lunsford and Ryan Thames, falsely accused her of being a pedophile who wanted to teach children about anal sex, NBC News reports.

The lawsuit points to the Citizens for a New Louisiana Facebook page, which has criticized “anti-censorship folks” who didn't want to shift any “sexually explicit and erotic materials targeting eight to ten-year-olds” to the adult section of libraries.

Jones became a specific target for the group, who said she was “fighting so hard to keep sexually erotic and pornographic materials” in the kids' section.

*snip*


👏👏

[PittBlue]

1. As a retired high school librarian...

This is so disgusting that she has to defend herself against such horrible accusations. So proud of her for standing up to these pigs.

[Prof. Toru Tanaka]

2. What is going on in schools is absolutely mind-boggling to me.

I agree with you that she deserves praise for standing up here.

It also worries me that someone may try something violent. I am sick to death of this Magat trash and their words and actions.

[peacefreak2.0]

3. You don't want to piss off librarians.

Look what happened with the National Archives.

[Thtwudbeme]

4. I am a middle school librarian

and I hope that she wins, and this case sets a precedent.

I have already contacted her. We are starting to get book challenges in the counties around us in NC.

[Nevilledog]

7. Good idea...strength in numbers. Keep us updated please.

[crickets]

5. Good for Amanda Jones. Librarians are badass.

Linked in the Axios article:
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/rare-move-school-librarian-fights-back-court-conservative-activists-rcna42800

Amanda Jones, a librarian at a middle school in Denham Springs, Louisiana, filed a defamation lawsuit Wednesday, arguing that Facebook pages run by Michael Lunsford and Ryan Thames falsely labeled her a pedophile who wants to teach 11-year-olds about anal sex. [snip]

Jones, the 2021 Louisiana Association of Computer Using Educators Middle School Teacher of the Year and the 2021 School Library Journal’s Librarian of the Year, said more than 200 librarians have reached out to her as the insults on Facebook spread. Many claimed they had been victims of similar verbal and online abuse in the past two years. More than 600 people donated a combined $20,000 for Jones on GoFundMe so she could respond with legal action. [snip]

Jones spoke against censorship at the Livingston Parish public library’s board meeting on July 19 when the board had been set to consider a motion to evaluate the content of certain books. Posts on Facebook in the days leading up to the meeting expressed outrage about sexual references in sex education books available at the public library. Jones and many other local citizens feared the board would respond by banning or restricting literature with LGBTQ content and themes, which they’d seen happen elsewhere.

[SouthBayDem]

13. Denham Springs is in Livingston parish

which went 84% for TFG in 2020. I am not making this up!

[Withywindle]

6. Good for her! The only way to handle this is to FIGHT BACK

If you give them an inch, they'll take a mile.

[Hekate]

8. Lordy (so to speak). Why doesn't a Librarian read the Song of Solomon aloud in a public meeting?

Definitely bring the Bible back — none of this namby pamby Ten Commandments hanging on the wall. Make those kids read it all.

I was pretty young when I undertook to read the King James version, and it was eye-opening for a pre-teen kid. “My tongue shall cleave to the roof of thy mouth.” I didn’t even know what French-kissing was, yet. Wow.

The English Standard Version of today is a beautifully rendered and very erotic poem.

Now when I got to the lament for the Babylonian Exile (still as a kid), it was very moving right up until the singer started in on revenge, like bashing their little ones against the stones.

Lotta good stuff in the Good Book.

[Thtwudbeme]

11. I thought about that- at the school board meeting

Or better, have an already retired librarian do it- one whose benefits can not be touched.

[Hekate]

14. Absolutely what I had in mind

[Hermit-The-Prog]

15. Genesis seems to dispense with all the taboos

See, e.g., Lot's daughters getting him drunk so they can get pregnant by him.

https://skepticsannotatedbible.com/gen/19.html#30

A lot of stuff in that dirty old book that the RWNJ don't want the kids to know about.
https://skepticsannotatedbible.com/sex/long.html

[Hekate]

16. The Evangelicals like the revenge and imprecation bits

They never seem to learn the Beatitudes, do they?

[Hermit-The-Prog]

17. They seem to like the smiting and the women-as-property parts of the bible.

It's confirmation bias at its worst.

Perhaps they've been terrorized and resent anyone who hasn't been. See, e.g., Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God

[William769]

10. Library thread, how appropriate.

[elias7]

12. Erotic is as erotic does. Maybe Repubs are turned on by weird sh*t.

[andym]

18. This was covered in the Music Man

About the town's librarian:

[MAUD]
Professor, her kind of woman doesn't belong on any committee
Of course I shouldn't tell you this but she advocates dirty books

[HAROLD]
Dirty books?

[ALMA]
Chaucer!

[MAUD]
Rabelais!

[EULALIE]
Balzac!

[MAUD]
And the worst thing, of course I shouldn't tell you this but-

[ALMA]
I'll tell!

[ETHEL]
The man lived on my street, let me tell !

[EULALIE]
No! I'll tell
She made brazen overtures to a man who never had a friend
In this town 'till she came here
[ALMA]
Oh yes
That woman made brazen overtures with a gilt-edged guarantee
She had a golden glint in her eye
And a silver voice with a counterfeit ring
Just melt her down and you'll reveal a lump of lead as cold as steel
Here, where a woman's heart should be

[EULALIE, ETHEL, MAUD, ALMA, MRS. SQUIRES]
He left River City the library building
But he left all the books to her!

[ALMA]
Chaucer!

[MAUD]
Rabelais!

[EULALIE]
Balzac!
----
This play was set in the 1910's-- things haven't changed much...

[panader0]

19. My friend used to sing the last line as ball sack.