A south Georgia public library system is under pressure to rehire a librarian whose firing over a book about a transgender child has led to the resignation of a board member and a wrongful termination lawsuit, according to emails and text messages obtained by the Georgia Recorder.
At the start of June, former Pierce County Library Manager Lavonnia Moore said she approved a display of children’s books collected by young library patrons that included “When Aidan Became a Brother” by Kyle Lukoff, which is about a transgender boy whose family is expecting another child.
On June 18, Moore was fired over the display. A group called Alliance for Faith and Family, which called on followers to register complaints with Three Rivers Regional Library staff and Pierce County commissioners, took credit for the sacking on social media.
The Georgia Recorder filed an open records request for all communications received by library staff and county commissioners relating to Moore during the month of June.
The county produced 77 files, some of which were repeat copies of emails sent by the same person to multiple recipients in the government. Accounting for duplicates, about four times as many people contacted the government in favor of reinstating Moore than did firing her.
The emails, text messages and voicemail reveal more about the decision to let Moore go and the resulting backlash. That correspondence also shows that local officials are considering reinstating Moore but have not yet done so.
Transgender people, particularly minors, have been the focal point of political debate at the state and federal levels. Georgia lawmakers passed or considered multiple high-profile bills this session and President Donald Trump has signed numerous executive orders aimed at transgender people.
Fallout
In text messages with Pierce County Manager Raphel Maddox and a human resources staffer from the day Moore was fired, Pierce County Library Board Member Lana Blankenship, who also works in the county finance department, reposted Alliance for Faith and Family’s calls to fire Moore.
“I am so mad right now,” Blankenship said with an angry emoji. “She needs to go immediately.”
The book display stirred back up a local conflict over other LGBTQ-related issues at the library. The Pierce County library left the Okefenokee Regional Library System last year, joining the Three Rivers system last July after controversies including over a Pride display and bathroom policies.
But in an email addressed to Pierce County’s library board members, Three Rivers Regional Library Director Jeremy Snell, who Moore said fired her, proposed a special called meeting to discuss bringing her back, citing an outpouring of support.
“It is within the power of this board to make action calling for reinstatement if that is a desired result of the executive session discussion,” Snell wrote. “At this point, I have received more communication regarding reinstatement (than) I did regarding the original issue earlier this week.”
In an email to the Recorder Thursday, Snell said the board was set to hold a regular meeting July 15 but since a quorum is not expected, a special called meeting will likely be held sometime in July. Snell said an agenda has not been set but the meeting could include an executive session.
On June 25, Snell received an email from an attorney representing Moore informing them of a wrongful termination suit and calling on them to hang onto any documents that may become evidence.
The next day, Laci Gillis Tippins resigned from the Pierce County library board, citing “recently developing political controversies” as well as time constraints and workloads in her private law practice. Tippins requested that her name be promptly removed from all websites and literature associated with the board.
“It has been a pleasure to serve on the Board,” she wrote. “I hope the current political climate cools and all disputes are resolved swiftly so the Library may thrive and flourish once again, as it did in my childhood.”
Emails
Some of the pro-Moore emails were form emails from pro-LGBTQ advocates not directly associated with the library. Some writers said they were from other parts of Georgia or other states.
Others, like Blackshear resident and Friends of the Library Treasurer Thomas Strait, said they had dealt with Moore personally.
Strait said he had asked around at multiple libraries and bookstores about a certain history book but had no luck tracking it down. He said he was delighted to come to the library and see a copy in the new books section.
“Unbeknownst to me, LaVonnia had tracked down the book and arranged to have it as part of our library,” Strait wrote. “This is not unique to me. She has done this for others. With limited funds, she focused on bringing books that patrons actually requested! That is only the bare tip of the iceberg as to what LaVonnia did for Pierce County Library. She has many exciting and creative programs that engage patrons, young and old, regardless of their religious affiliation or background, across the spectrum of race, color, creed, and, yes, sexual orientation. Libraries are for EVERYONE!”
Some in the anti-Moore faction largely made faith-based arguments that transgender people are the result of wickedness and expressed concern that the book could lead to children becoming transgender.
After Moore was fired, Pierce County Commissioner Troy Maddox responded to one local resident who had pushed for the book’s removal: “Situation taken care of. Thanks for bringing to light.”
Moore said she has received an outpouring of support from librarians around the nation and from people at home.
She said she was particularly touched by one person who reached out to say a class Moore held 15 years ago helped give her the knowledge to start her own business.
“You do your job because you love it, you don’t think you’re making big changes,” Moore said. “I didn’t know how much I was worth in the community. I just loved doing my job. And sometimes when someone comes up to me, I feel like an imposter. I’m so happy that I made a change in your life. I just didn’t know I was that change.”
She said she’s hoping for a happy ending, but she’s not sure what that might look like.
“Getting my old job back would probably be difficult for not only the library, the county, but also the library patrons, because if I do get my job back, that group would still be after me,” she said. “They would probably have me under a microscope.”
