In July of 2022, concerns over LGBTQ Pride displays at some of St. Tammany Parish's branches were discussed during public comment at a library board meeting. Around 40 people spoke in favor of the displays with only one voice of dissension. This person alleged the pride display supporters were bussed in by the library from outside of St. Tammany because she couldn't imagine so many LGTBQ people and allies living in our community. She spread this misinformation to local religious organizations, and what started as complaints about pride displays morphed into attempts to ban books (including LGBTQ works, classic literature and romance novels ) and fire the Director of St Tammany Parish Libraries as well as the library board. Some of the pro-censorship group have even called for the director’s arrest.
This group is well organized but ill-informed. They believe there is a nation-wide conspiracy of "pedophilic Marxist librarians" hell-bent on grooming unsuspecting children and possibly turning them queer through children's books. At first, this appeared to be the unhinged fantasies of a few far-right conservatives, but this movement in our Parish has recently gone more mainstream.
On November 28, RPEC (Republican Parish Executive Committee) met to discuss book banning and offered those calling for censorship a platform, helping to legitimize these outrageous claims. This movement is dangerous. They march under the banner of protecting children, but it's clear that their true motivation is attempting to silence the voices of the LGBTQ community and anyone else who doesn't share their personal convictions. The pro-censorship crowd is currently working to replace the Parish Council and President with their supporters and ultimately fire the library director and any board member who won't be their puppet. Most recently, an attorney with the pro-censorship group presented the Parish Council with a proposed ordinance calling for the formation of a Library Accountability Board (LAB) which would have oversight on the books available and policies made within our libraries. This is already the job of our council-appointed Library Board. Make no mistake, they will not stop at banning books. They will use their power to influence as many aspects of Louisiana politics as they can. They are organized, well funded and have the support of powerful politicians and organizations such as Michael Lunsford’s Citizens for a New Louisiana, a dark money 501(c)(4) nonprofit, which hopes to defund libraries, create puppet boards and ban books his organization deems inappropriate in all 64 parishes.
2023 UPDATE:
Two new Louisiana bills that codify the ability to ban or censor books have been passed by the State Legislature and signed into law by the Governor. Follow this link to the analysis of each bill.
David Cougle, co-founder of the pro-censorship Accountability Project, is elected to the Parish Council.
2024 UPDATE:
On May 2, 2024, the Parish Council voted to remove and replace the existing duly seated library board members instead of simply staggering their terms as was done with other boards. The proposal to remove and replace the current board was originally submitted by new Councilperson and co-founder and legal representation of the pro-censorship St. Tammany Parish Library Accountability Project, David Cougle, on March 7, 2024 after his failed attempts to impact related state law and, on the local level, limit access to predominantly LGBTQ+ materials in the library and form a redundant Library Accountability Board. This removal is despite the previous board being in full compliance of then Attorney General Landry's guidance on the implementation of Act 436/LA R.S. 25:225.
The Alliance is concerned that our current board may pursue similar actions that would undermine our library system by potentially allowing for the misappropriation of dedicated library funds to other local government entities. We urge you to contact the Parish Council and request the removal of current LBOC members Reverend Belknap, Jill Kessler, and Tamarah Myers, as we believe they are not acting in the best interests of our library system.
We are proud to support Bill McHugh, Anthony Parr, and Rebecca Taylor in their continued efforts to stand up for our First Amendment rights. The Alliance is committed to supporting our LGBTQ+ friends, family, and neighbors and equal representation in every public library across our parish. We encourage you to stand together in solidarity with the plaintiffs and support their efforts.
2025 UPDATE:
On March 3, 2025, Judge Long dismissed the claims of the previous board members for lack of subject matter jurisdiction in accordance with the opinion and judgment of the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals. The new board remains seated.