"In 2023, Terri Lesley was fired from her job of library system director in Campbell County, Wyoming, after 27 years on the job. While those who fired her said it was for performance issues, the decision came amid a battle over LGBTQ library books that some wanted banned from the library system. Lesley stood her ground and was terminated the day after refusing to physically take the books off the shelves."
"Lesley said that removing the books was censorship and discrimination, which would have opened the county up to lawsuits. "We hope at least that it sends a message to other library districts, other states, other counties, that the First Amendment is alive and strong and that our values against discrimination also remain alive and strong," said Lesley's attorney, Iris Halpern. "These are public entities, they're government officials, they need to keep in mind their constitutional obligations.""
Terri Lesley, longtime director of the Campbell County library system, was fired in 2023 after refusing to remove LGBTQ books from library shelves. County officials cited performance issues amid a local campaign seeking to ban LGBTQ titles. Lesley sued the county, commission, and library board for violating her First Amendment rights; a federal judge ruled in her favor and awarded a $700,000 settlement. Lesley called removal censorship and discrimination. Attorney Iris Halpern emphasized that public entities must observe constitutional obligations and said the ruling should signal to other districts that First Amendment and anti-discrimination values remain strong. Book-banning efforts have risen sharply.
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