January 2024 court update

I have both good news and bad news about my court case. The bad news is that my appeal to the First Circuit was denied. The good news is the way it was denied. Basically, it was denied on a jurisdictional defect (technicality) by two judges. The third judge dissented and stated, “I believe this court has jurisdiction over the matter and we should hear the appeal.” The merits of the case were not decided upon. After discussion with my attorney, family, and friends, we have decided to move forward and re-petition the First Circuit Court of Appeals to have my case heard by a full panel of judges. I am confident that justice will eventually prevail. Should I be wrong, and we are denied all the way to the Louisiana Supreme Court, I will hold my head up high knowing I did all that I could do. I am committed to going the full distance.

See full court judgment: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1N_3Zx3I0GvU9kUNSgcbeh8KsMQpRToJD/view?usp=sharing. 

I recently read an article in American Libraries in which author George M Johnson stated, “This fight has chosen me. There comes a point in time where sometimes these fights choose us, and we have to be ready for the challenge.” This really resonated with me. All I did was give a censorship speech at my public library. Two men decided to spread lies about what I said and did, and this is not okay. We should all be able to voice our opinions about censorship at public meetings without being falsely accused of advocating for anal sex to 11 year olds and giving erotica to 6 year olds. I didn’t choose to be in this position, but I have the means and support to take a stand and see it through to the end, and that is all because of you. 

The outpouring of support continues to be humbling. I hope to lead by example and inspire others to speak out. Being bullied online has really made me think about what our kids face online each and every day. The danger is not in books and the library. The danger is in the palms of their hands. I am committed to entering a new era in my career to help provide students, educators, parents, and community members with the resources to help our children stay safe online and know what to do when they themselves are bullied on the internet. I’m finding ways to use this experience to enact real change and to make lemonade out of lemons. I recently wrote an article for School Library Journal on this topic, and also discussed it on the School Library Learning Network podcast. 

Article: https://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/story/2021-School-Librarian-of-the-Year-Amanda-Jones-Creates-lesson-about-navigating-social-media 

Podcast: https://sllnpodcast.libsyn.com/the-dangers-in-their-hands-navigating-social-media-with-amanda-jones 

What I have learned is that empathy is lacking in a lot of people in our country. I feel sorry for people who choose hate over kindness. The hatefulness shown online and at public meetings towards authors, librarians, and advocates for intellectual freedom is disheartening. I was recently inspired by librarian Mychal Threets for his show of compassion towards people who were targeting him online. His story is a lesson for us all. We cannot fight hate with hate. I will continue to pray for the people who have chosen to target me. The children are watching our reactions and I want to set a good example.

Article about Mychal Threets: https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/2024/01/10/librarian-tiktok-twitter-mychal-threets/ 

In closing, we had a win this past week in our public library system (see library update). I had a loss in court. Such is life. I am proud of standing up for myself, students, authors, educators, and librarians. My attorney will be filing paperwork to continue this fight in court and she is fierce. I’m not done yet. Onwards!

January 2024 Library update

Last night I spoke at my public library’s board of control meeting (my comments are at the bottom of this post). A citizen formally challenged Queerfully and Wonderfully Made: A Guide for LGBTQ+ Christian Teens by Leigh Finke. That is her right to do so, which is a right afforded to all community members. The challenge review committee determined the book contained no sexually explicit material and will remain. She has stated she will appeal, which is also her right. Library challenge review policies work and I trust the trained librarians and dedicated members of our LBOC to follow policy.

The Livingston Parish Council (the local governing body) wanted to have the library board of control discuss removing challenged books from the shelves during the review process. I am grateful to the Tulane First Amendment Law Clinic for writing a letter pointing out the unconstitutionality of a policy like this. The board decided to wait on an opinion from the LA Attorney General on the matter. We are confident that decades of court precedent and our US Constitution will be upheld. For now, the books are protected and that is a win.

I do not have an update on my court appeal. We are currently awaiting the decision of the Louisiana First Circuit Court of Appeals. It could be today or it could be months. Regardless of the decision, I am happy just for standing up for myself and filing suit in the first place. Online bullying and defamation are not okay. We teach our children to speak out and ask for help, so I practiced what I preach and have no regrets with whatever happens.

My book, THAT LIBRARIAN: The Fight Against Book Banning in America is now available for pre-order. More info at https://sites.google.com/view/abmack33/my-book-that-librarian?authuser=0. I am also excited to partner with Keen Bee Studios on a line of That Librarian products. All of us standing up for intellectual freedom are THAT LIBRARIAN. 15% of the sales will go to the Texas Library Association, whose members have been extremely supportive to me over the past two years. https://www.keenbeestudio.com/collections/that-librarian 

I am continually grateful to all of you for your support and for sticking by me through this journey. I will not stop speaking out against censorship and will fight against efforts to “other” members of our community. Libraries are for everyone.

Tulane’s Letter: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-onr_gyZKppYpQ1sDiZ1NKTBfU2EYCnh/view?usp=sharing 

Article on the Meeting: https://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/news/livingston-parish-library-board-debates-challenged-books/article_9fe3467a-bb01-11ee-b4fa-23338d5baea2.html 

Reminders:

• Does La. R.S. 25:225 require a library to remove or relocate a library material under review by the board of control? No. See:  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1i83jYIXcK_0l2OKGt_3eW6pvTPRn4jCM/view?usp=sharing

• Item 2: The Governor himself has stated no books in Louisiana libraries are breaking the law.  “But Landry cautioned the crowd that the existing state law is broad. "The books we felt were problematic, we do not believe fell under any Louisiana statute," he said. https://www.nola.com/news/politics/st-tammany-library-at-center-of-controversy-over-kids-books/article_f267dff4-6d0b-11ed-b5bf-0f7f6226d459.html 

• “The law also does not require the books to be pulled from circulation pending review, according to Landry. Landry says decisions of whether an item is sexually explicit should be guided by the definitions of the law and not board members’ ideological views.” https://lailluminator.com/2023/10/27/ag-landrys-guidance-on-minors-library-access-already-shaping-local-decisions/ 

My comments:

• Initial Public Remarks: Operation of the Library, Agenda Item 8B3

  • At the January 11th PC meeting, LBOC member Larry Davis stood up to remind the council that the board must “listen to the people who pay taxes”. I’d like to remind Mr. Davis that everyone in our parish pays taxes. Our parish voted to pass the library millage. If you are going to push for a representative government, then you need to start supporting our library because the parish spoke and the millage passed. 

  • Mr. Davis also stated at that PC meeting that, “The LGBTQ part of the community is not a majority and we cannot have a minority deciding what the library stands for.” I’d like to remind Mr. Davis that the library is for ALL community members—not just a minority or a majority—every single person in our community—whether you are Black, white, gay, straight, Christian, atheist, a bigot, an ally, rich, or poor—everyone. 

  • To quote the letter Tulane First Amendment Law Clinic sent the LBOC, “The 1st Amendment exists to protect all viewpoints.” It is concerning to me that a board member seemingly wants to go against the Constitution of the United States.

  • If we want to see our library operate in a way that supports all community members, it is especially important for our LBOC members to support the library’s director, library staff, other LBOC members, and represent every single citizen of our parish accordingly.

• On pulling books from shelves:

  • At the January 11th PC meeting, the PC asked Director Michelle Parrish to consider removing books from the shelves during the challenge process. What the PC asked the library to do is illegal. According to Tulane First Amendment Law Clinic, “the policy of relocating challenged works pending review violates the Constitution, because it removes protected works from the shelves. It is a violation of the First Amendment and provides a presumption in favor of censoring books, when the presumption should be that works are protected from government censorship except in extraordinary circumstances. They provided you with numerous court precedent to back up this assertion.

  • Federal Courts have continually upheld that to remove books from shelves during the challenge process violates not only the 1st Amendment Free Speech Clause but the Fourteenth Amendment’s Due Process Clause. To remove books based on targeting of the LGBTQ community, you add to that a violation of the Fourteenth Amendment’s Equal Protection Clause.  I am going to put my faith in the PC and hope they did not realize this at the time; however, now they know.

• On the topic of removing books in general: 

  • In Board of Education vs. Pico, the Supreme Court made it abundantly clear that government officials may not remove books from school library shelves "simply because they dislike the ideas contained in those books.'" The principles set forth in Pico — a school library case — has been ruled to have even greater force when applied to public libraries. 

  • The 1st Amendment guarantees that libraries cannot limit access to library materials or have them removed because they contain an unpopular opinion. Decades of court precedent AND the constitution back this up.

  • Moreover, if a parent wishes to prevent their child from reading a particular book, that parent can and should accompany the child to the Library, and should not prevent all children in the community from gaining access to constitutionally protected materials.

• On the topic of hate and the LGBTQ community as it relates to this agenda item:

  • The behavior I have seen towards marginalized citizens in our parish from so-called Christians over the last year and a half have sickened me. It is non-stop hate in person and on social media. You are setting horrible examples to the children of this parish and sending the message that online bullying is okay.

  • My parents are here and I am so thankful that they raised me in the words of Ephesians 4:32: Be ye kind one to another.

  • As an educator, I have lost dozens of former students who took their own lives b/c people in our community who have made them feel less than for being gay. 

  • Libraries are safe spaces and some of the only places they can come to find acceptance.

  • I said it in July of 2022 here and I’m saying it again now, “Hate and fear disguised as moral outrage have no place in Livingston Parish.”

Oral arguments were heard for my case in September in the Louisiana First Circuit Court of Appeals by three judges. We still do not know the results, but that’s okay. Maybe we will find out today. Maybe in a month or two. Maybe I will win. Maybe I will lose this round and have to appeal to the Louisiana Supreme Court. You know what matters to me right now? OUR PARISH VOTED TO PASS OUR LIBRARY TAX RENEWAL MILLAGE!!! It was a nailbiter, down to 168 votes, but it passed. 

Since I first spoke out in July of 2022, I knew that the main goal of the pro-censors was to defund our library and they lost this past weekend. They’ve tried for over a year to defund and discredit our library, and the library won. This means our public library will have dedicated funding for the next ten years and THAT is what is important to me.

Not on my 2023 Bingo card was having THE Oprah Winfrey speak out on my behalf at the National Book Awards! I am extremely grateful and still in shock. You can check out the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4b8nqUaptw. 

I am also grateful to Mr. Aswell of the Louisiana Voice for this writeup: https://louisianavoice.com/2023/11/16/oprah-gives-livingston-parish-school-librarian-amanda-jones-a-shout-out-at-national-book-awards-wednesday/. 

Finally, I am in the process of approving the final copy edits on my book That Librarian: Fighting Book Bans in Today’s America and the cover has been finalized. I cannot wait for it to be released in September of 2024.

Thank you to all of you for your continued support!

Amanda Jones

Librarianjones.com

November 23rd case update

On Monday, my motion for a new-trial and amended petition was denied. I am not surprised with this ruling from the local court system, and look forward to taking my case to the appellate court system and all the way to the Louisiana Supreme Court if necessary. Once again, I am deeply disappointed in the judge’s decision today and continue to be concerned about the precedent this sets for online bullies to freely and openly attack and defame educators, librarians, parents, students, and community members who speak out against censorship at public library board and school board meetings.

I still have the same question—when did it become acceptable to behave this way online and what repercussions does it have for our children and students? Anyone who chooses to bully and belittle someone online because they disagree with them, in the name of “protecting the children” is setting a horrible example to the very children they claim to protect. The Cyberbullying Research Center reports, “Over the last fifteen years, research on teens (typically middle and high schoolers) has shown that those who have been cyberbullied – as well as those who cyberbully others – are more likely to struggle academically, emotionally, psychologically, and even behaviorally.”

To be clear, I am still asking for my right just to have a trial and this is not even the trial itself. Since July 19th, I have been fighting against the defamation of my character by people who use divisive language to attempt to hurt my reputation and frighten me into silence after I spoke out against censorship attempts at my public library. Whether this takes months or years, I will not be backing down and am committed to fighting this to the very end.

I am happy to report that the censors have been shut down at all three public library board meetings in my community thus far, so I have accomplished what I originally set out to do. The members of our community deserve to see themselves in the books they read, and speaking out against censorship does not mean anyone is promoting pornography or erotica to children. Libraries have policies and procedures for book challenges and anyone can challenge books in both school and public libraries.

As far as my case goes, I am not seeking money. I am seeking a public retraction and apology. Although I have no doubt that the people who choose to get online and publicly malign me would have no qualms about ruining me financially as well, I am of a different character. I am aware they have families who did not ask to be placed in this situation. A video-taped public apology admitting wrong-doing could end all of this today.

What I am facing is not unique to me and is happening across the country to hundreds of educators and librarians. We are being used as political pawns in culture wars and none of us asked to be in this situation. It is for those not in a position to defend themselves that I am taking a stand. I will continue to speak out against censorship attempts that marginalize our systemically and historically underrepresented children and communities, and I will continue to stand up for myself and anyone else who is defamed in the process. Thank you to the thousands of supporters who have given me strength along the way and who continue to help me in this fight. I will be eternally grateful.

Resources:

Book Riot’s Censorship Archives: https://bookriot.com/category/censorship/

Louisiana Association of School Librarians Censorship Toolkit: http://laslonline.weebly.com/censorship-toolkits.html

We the Librarians is an organization that helps show support to librarians: https://wethelibrarians.org/

PEN America Tip Sheet for Librarians Facing Harassment: https://pen.org/librarian-tip-sheet-harassment/

Get Ready, Stay Ready Online Toolkit for Communities Facing Censorship Attempts: https://www.getreadystayready.info/

Campaign for Our Shared Future: https://www.campaignsharedfuture.org/

EveryLibrary: https://www.everylibrary.org/ 

October 24th Case Update

Read Document: Motion for New Trial and GoFundMe
Updates In the News:

School Librarian Continues Defamation Lawsuit; Champions First Amendment Rights of All

School Librarian Files Motion for New Trial Against Online Attackers

Librarian Asks Court to Reconsider Defamation Lawsuit
Livingston Parish Librarian Regroups, Vows to Continue Her Legal Battle
Local Librarian Asks Court to Reconsider Lawsuit

Since July 19th, I have been in a battle to stand up to bullies who are attacking me and our public library’s efforts to ensure that all students are safe, respected, and free to learn. As a mother, and a lifelong resident of our community, I spoke at a local public library board meeting about the importance of books and materials that reflect the reality of our children's’ world, and that engage them in learning. In response, harassers are using harmful and divisive language to hurt my reputation, threaten me and my family, and frighten me into silence. 

For our students, my own child, and my community, I refuse to cower to bullies who are using children and scare tactics to score political points. That’s why I filed a defamation lawsuit, and why, despite the disappointment of an early ruling, I am going to keep pushing. I am concerned about the precedent this ruling sets for online bullies to freely and openly attack and defame hard-working educators and librarians as they use us as political pawns. When did it become acceptable to behave this way online and what is it teaching our children? 

For those who do not know, last month a judge ruled it was okay for two men to accuse me of falsehoods and issue dangerous personal attacks to be spread freely on social media. I am deeply disappointed in the ruling, and concerned about other educators, parents, and students who might not feel able to defend our schools and our libraries if it opens them up to violence and hate. Over the past few weeks, I have prayed long and hard about my path forward, as well as spoken at length with family and friends. I decided I could not give up after the first round. That is why I filed a motion that asks the judge to reconsider her ruling and proposes an amended petition that restates my claims. You can read my motion here. It tells my story.  It is important that I continue to fight to protect myself and others from the horrible attacks I have faced, and to show all of our children that we must never give in to bullies.

This battle is taking an enormous toll, to the extent that I will need to take a medical leave from my job in the spring.  If I lose, I will be liable for all of the court costs and legal fees related for myself AND  those I’m seeking action against. But the cause of standing up against censorship, so that libraries are safe havens for every member of our community, is priceless. I am grateful to everyone who has contributed to my GoFundMe account, making it possible for me to take on this fight and stand up for what’s right. 

I will continue to voice concerns about censorship efforts in my community, my state, and our country. We see censorship and book banning happening in communities around the country right now.  I will continue to speak out at any further attempts, and in defense of dedicated, hard working educators and librarians. We must all remain vigilant, to protect our children's’ right to be safe and included in our community and to get a good education. We are all stronger and safer when we join together to speak out against their hate and division. It is time to take a stand. 

September 23 Case update

As a librarian I know the power of words. Their ability to change hearts and minds, to move us forward or to divide us, is something that I share with my students every day. Right now, extremists are using violent and divisive language to scare me and hurt my reputation.

The people they incite have called me a pedophile, groomer, and pervert. Their words are gross and false, malicious and dangerous.

They are attacking me because I am defending our community’s right to a great education, to have access to materials that reflect the reality of their world, and that engage them in learning. I am a middle school librarian, a mother, and a lifelong resident of our community. I have been teaching for 22 years and I work closely with my students' parents to keep them safe.   

On Wednesday, a judge determined that it is okay for these falsehoods to continue to be spread freely on social media, even if they “hurt my feelings.” But this was never about my feelings. This is about our collective safety and our children’s right to be, and to learn.  This is about making it safe for educators to do their jobs, and for children to have truly great educational opportunities. While it is never easy or comfortable to do so, we must continue to stand up to these bullies to ensure that all of our students are safe, respected, and free to learn. 

These past few weeks have been the hardest of my life. I am deeply disappointed in the court's decision, and appalled that the court does not recognize the violent power of the words falsely used to intimidate me. However, I am proud of choosing to challenge these bullies, and stand up for the best interests of our community. I am proud that the Livingston Parish Library System chose to do the same by refusing to ban books in our library collection. There is a vocal minority of bullies hurling violent insults. We are all stronger and safer when we join together to speak out against their hate and division. 

Thank you to the hundreds of supporters who have stood by me. I have never felt more loved and supported in all of my life. Perhaps most wonderful, so many of my former students reached out to me with words of encouragement, and to tell me how I helped shape their lives for the better.  In the end, that is what all educators aspire to do. We give our all to support our students  and try to make the world a better place for them. Hearing from my former students lets me know that I have accomplished that in my 22 years as an educator. Inspired by that knowledge, I will continue to do so. 

God has a plan for me. I do not yet know what that entails, but I will continue to give this life and this profession my all with dignity.  I will take some time to consider my next steps, and will keep you posted. Until then, I send my thanks and all courage to the professionals doing the best they can by every single one of their students, every single day.

July 19th public library board meeting

Below is a copy of the speech I read word-for-word. I also have an audio recording of that meeting to back up the fact that this was my exact speech. Since that meeting, I have been harassed and defamed online and am seeking legal action. I will keep you updated as much as legally possible on this journey as things progress.  I will not sit by and let my good name be  tarnished by lies. Thank you to the hundreds of organizations, librarians, educators, friends, and family who have reached out in support.  I truly appreciate you!

My public comments on July 19, 2022
"My name is Amanda Jones. I am the 2021 School Library Journal National Librarian of the Year, an international speaker and advocate on behalf of libraries, and am President of the LA Association of School Librarians. I am here as a representative of that organization, but more importantly as a lifelong resident of Livingston Parish, parent of a child in this district, and taxpayer. I am here tonight because book content and book signage have been listed on tonight’s agenda. I hope that what I am about to say is not needed, and that my fear that a member of the board is trying to censor books and signage is unfounded. 

While book challenges are often done with the best intentions, and in the name of age appropriateness, they often target marginalized communities such as BIPOC and the LBGTQ community.  They also target books on sexual health and reproduction. Considering that Livingston Parish has the highest rate of children in foster care per capita in Louisiana, and that number has doubled over the past few years,  I find it ironic that any member of the community would want to limit access to any book on reproduction or relocate it away from the our children who need it the most. Once you start relocating and banning one topic, it becomes a slippery slope and where does it end? 

All members of our community deserve to be seen, have access to information, and see themselves, in our PUBLIC library collection. Censoring and relocating books and displays  is harmful to our community, but will be extremely harmful to our most vulnerable—our children.  According to the Trevor Project, “LGBTQ youth are not inherently prone to suicide risk because of their sexual orientation or gender identity but rather placed at higher risk because of how they are mistreated and stigmatized in society.” 

Libraries are for everyone. According to the American Library Association, of which I am a member of, 

LIBRARIES ARE A cornerstone of the community dedicated to serving the information needs of everyone. As such, they collect and make available a wide variety of information resources representing the range of human thought and experience. With such a broad spectrum of ideas and information available, it is inevitable that people will occasionally encounter resources they believe to be inappropriate for their family.

Just because you enter a library, it does not mean that you will not see something you don’t like. Libraries have diverse collections with resources from many points of view, and a library’s mission is to provide access to information for all users. All library users have the First Amendment right to borrow, read, view, and listen to library resources, according to the ALA. If an individual is concerned about a children’s or young adult’s resource or its location in the library, that individual has the right to go through the library’s reconsideration policy that is already in place. Each family has the right to determine which library resources are acceptable for its own children, but individuals must also realize that they must afford the same rights to all other parents. 

The citizens of our parish consist of tax payers who are white, Black, brown, gay, straight, Christian, non-Christian—people from all backgrounds and walks of life, and no one portion of the community should dictate what the rest of the citizens have access to. Just because you don’t want to read it or see it, it doesn’t give you the right to deny others or demand its relocation.  If we remove or relocate books with LBGTQ or sexual health content, what message is that sending to our community members?  Why is your belief system any more important than others’? What will be next if you accomplish your mission? Parents have a personal responsibility to monitor their own child’s reading and nobody else’s. 

 The Livingston Parish Library Director Giovanni Tairov has accomplished wonders for our public library and made it into an award-winning system. There’s a reason the Louisiana Library Association named him the 2019 Public Library Director of the Year. Trust his judgment and those of the other dedicated Livingston Parish Library employees. There is a solid collection development policy in place.  Nobody is putting pornography in children’s sections of the library. Stop that false narrative. The librarians over the collection have library science degrees and use professional reviews, which list ages of relevancy and age appropriateness, before deciding where to place them in the library. There is already a book challenge process if a community member does not like a particular book or location of a book in the library. As board members, I would hope you already know that.

To board member Erin Sandefur who placed this item on the agenda, I will say this—You once posted on social media that there are folks who do not agree with you and that we can be one of your greatest teachers. That is an admirable statement. I would love to teach you about how harmful censorship, book policing, and agenda items like these affect our youth and historically marginalized community members.

To the entire board, I will say this: I grew up in this parish being taught that God is love. What I’ve come to realize is that what many people mean is that God is love only if you have the same religious and political beliefs as them. I have lived in our parish for 44 years. I am a mother of a child in our school system.  I have been a LPL card holder since 1983.  I have watched our public library grow to be one of our parish’s biggest assets—something we can be proud of.  I will remind board members that regardless of your own beliefs on the topic of book content and location, to think about this—no one on the right side of history has ever been on the side of censorship and hiding books. In the words of author Stephen Chbosky: “Banning books gives us silence when we need speech. It closes our ears when we need to listen. It makes us blind when we need sight.” Hate and fear disguised as moral outrage have no place in Livingston Parish. 

Thank you for allowing me to speak tonight."