Former Rutherford County Library System Director Luanne James is suing the library system, its board and eight board members, alleging she was fired in retaliation for opposing a directive to move about 130 books from the children’s section to the adult section. James filed a 71-page complaint Sept. 23 in U.S. District Court in Nashville. The suit names the library system and board members Cody Ryan York, Beth Duffield, Jeffrey Wiencek, Sam Huddleston, Susan Quesenberry, Darrell Thomas, Dina Piazza and John Curtis. The complaint says the board voted 8-3 on March 16 to relocate the books. Two days later, James told board members by email she would not carry out the directive, arguing it violated the First Amendment and the library system’s reconsideration policy. The board voted 8-3 on March 30 to fire her. The termination letter cited insubordination, according to the complaint, which alleges that reason was a pretext for retaliation. The dispute followed a review of the library’s children’s materials. James says staff examined about 60,000 books and flagged roughly 2,200 for additional review. She recommended keeping most in the children’s section, moving 444 to the young adult section and six to the adult section. The complaint says the board accepted those recommendations but allowed individual members to bring books back for further votes. James alleges the later relocation vote targeted books with LGBTQ characters or themes, including titles the board had previously voted to keep in the children’s section. She also says the board bypassed the library’s established process for reconsidering books. The board had previously said some materials promoted what it called “gender confusion,” according to coverage cited in the complaint. The lawsuit alleges sex discrimination, retaliation and violations of federal civil-rights laws, the First Amendment and the Constitution’s Equal Protection Clause. It also claims board members conspired and that library policies favored a particular religious viewpoint. James challenges age restrictions adopted by the board after her firing. She is seeking back pay, future lost wages and benefits, damages for emotional distress, legal fees and other relief. She also asks a judge to order the defendants to stop the alleged discrimination and retaliation. The library system scheduled a special board meeting for Oct. 12 to consider actions related to the lawsuit.