In order to conduct a forum “on Fair and Safe Sport for Girls,” Moms for Liberty reserved and paid for a room at a library.
Then, the librarians
Yolo County Public Library Regional Manager Scott Love “invited disruptive protesters” to the August 2023 forum and then shut it down as soon as it started. He disagreed with Moms for Liberty that men who demand the right to participate in women’s sports are men. So the matter couldn’t even be discussed. Not in the library’s reserved and paid-for meeting room.
With the help of the Institute for Free Speech and Alliance Defending Freedom, Moms for Liberty sued, arguing that Yolo County Library had
According to the complaint, “Defendants are not required to agree with Plaintiffs’ views about protecting women’s sports. The First Amendment, however, requires that Defendants allow Plaintiffs to speak freely about the integrity of female athletics in library meeting rooms. It demands public library officials not enable — let alone participate in — the disruption and cancellation of Plaintiffs’ events on account of
“The Court should hold Defendants accountable for the damage they caused in censoring Plaintiffs’ event and ensure that such censorship never happens again.”
The library has now settled, revising its policies to (we hope) protect the freedom of speech of patrons who use its meeting rooms. It must also pay plaintiffs $70,000 in damages and legal costs.
Sadly, those funds come from taxpayers. Seems Mr. Love should pay a price.
This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.
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3 replies on “Library Against Liberty”
Violating their constitutional rights was not a policy of the library. Rather it was something that the inappropriately named Mr. Love took upon himself to personally do. The library is not responsible other than giving inadequate supervision and failure to hold Love accountable for his actions.
But Love should pay the civil damages.
Mr Love was acting in a clearly unconstitutional manner and therefore should be liable personally to the plaintiffs or to at least reimburse the library.
Generally, if there is no personal detriment there is no reason to comply with constitutional mandates.
Mr Love has a right to express his opinion and preference as a private individual, not impose it on others vai manipulation of the use of public facilities he manages.
Mr. Love’s salary also comes from taxpayers. If Mr. Love is to pay a price, let it be his immediate termination and permanent disqualification for another government job anywhere in Yolo County.