ACLU Sues on Behalf of Arkansas Librarian Fired for Combating Guide Censorship

The American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit Monday on behalf of an Arkansas librarian who was fired after she spoke out towards efforts to limit the general public’s entry to sure books.

The ACLU of Arkansas filed the lawsuit on behalf of former Saline County Library Director Patty Hector, who was fired in 2023 after being focused by a marketing campaign that objected to a number of the books on cabinets. Saline County Choose Matt Brumley, who fired Hector and is a defendant within the lawsuit, mentioned the county wouldn’t touch upon pending litigation.

“I couldn’t keep silent as requires censorship focused marginalized communities and undermined our library’s mission,” Hector mentioned in a press release launched by the ACLU of Arkansas. “Shedding my job was devastating, however I refuse to let these actions go unchallenged.”

Hector’s lawsuit comes as a report variety of books have been faraway from cabinets in recent times, and Republican-led states have pushed for measures making it easier to problem books at school and public libraries. One such measure Arkansas enacted in 2023 has been struck down by a federal decide.

Hector was fired after a bunch known as the Saline County Republican Girls started a marketing campaign urging the censorship of books that touched on themes involving race or LGBTQ+ themes. Hector spoke out towards a decision the quorum court docket, the county’s governing board, handed calling for such books to be moved to areas not accessible by kids.

The quorum court docket later handed an ordinance taking away the library board’s authority to rent and fireplace library employees, as a substitute giving that energy to the county decide. Brumley fired Hector lower than two months later.

The lawsuit accuses Brumley and the county of violating Hector’s First Modification rights and asks that the ordinance taking away the library board’s hiring and firing authority be struck down as unconstitutional.

“Ms. Hector was fired for defending the best to learn freely and for refusing to let political stress dictate the operation of a public library,” John Williams, ACLU of Arkansas’ authorized director, mentioned in a press release. “Retaliation towards her for talking out on these essential points is just not solely unconstitutional — it’s an assault on the ideas of free expression and entry to data that public libraries stand for.”

The lawsuit additionally seeks again pay and compensatory damages. In keeping with the grievance, Hector has required remedy to deal with the emotional misery brought on by the retaliation towards her over her opposition to censoring books.

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