Luanne James, director of the Rutherford County Library System in Tennessee, was terminated Monday after refusing to relocate more than 100 books discussing gender identity or containing violence from children's sections. The board voted 8-3 to dismiss her for noncompliance with their March decision to move certain books they claimed would encourage "gender confusion" or promote violence.

James stood by her refusal, with her lawyer arguing she had a constitutional obligation to resist what he called an unlawful directive to segregate books. The firing represents the latest escalation in battles over free speech and expression in public libraries, particularly in conservative states like Tennessee that have embraced ideological limitations on reading material.

The board faced divided public reaction during the meeting, with supporters cheering the book relocations and others booing James' termination. This situation highlights the growing tension between conservative efforts to restrict content and library professionals' commitment to intellectual freedom, following directives from state officials affecting federal funding for educational institutions.