Fired Wyoming library director wins $700,000 settlement

📌 Key Facts

Lesley, a fired Wyoming library director, won a $700,000 settlement with county officials.
The settlement resolves her lawsuit against county officials; a separate lawsuit she filed against three individuals who contested the books will continue.
Lesley and her attorney say county officials violated her First Amendment rights and created a hostile work environment tied to challenges to LGBTQ+ books.
The library board refused to specify which books to remove, placing the burden on Lesley to decide which titles to pull.
Specific titles at issue included This Book Is Gay and Sex Is a Funny Word.
The EEOC allowed Lesley’s lawsuit to be filed based on an earlier EEOC complaint.
Her attorney is Iris Halpern of the Denver firm Rathod Mohamedbhai.

On X, users highlight this settlement as part of a nationwide pattern of book bans targeting LGBTQ+ materials, often linking it to similar cases in states like Colorado and Arkansas where librarians have successfully sued over censorship attempts.
Many X posts celebrate the victory as a win for First Amendment rights, emphasizing how librarians like Lesley are frontline defenders against conservative efforts to restrict access to diverse books in public libraries.
Social media discussions on X point out the financial cost to taxpayers from these lawsuits, noting that settlements like this $700,000 payout come from public funds and could deter future book challenges.
X users frequently discuss the potential harm to LGBTQ+ youth from removing such books, arguing that mainstream coverage overlooks how these materials provide essential representation and education for marginalized communities.
Posts on X express support for librarians facing harassment, sharing stories of hostile work environments and calling for stronger protections, which adds personal context to the legal aspects covered in mainstream reports.

Based on 2 sources

https://www.facebook.com/CBSNews/ October 09, 2025

New information:

EEOC allowed Lesley’s lawsuit to be filed based on an earlier EEOC complaint.
Specific titles at issue are listed, including 'This Book is Gay' and 'Sex is a Funny Word.'
Lesley and her attorney say county officials violated her First Amendment rights and created a hostile work environment tied to LGBTQ+ book challenges.
Lesley says the board refused to specify which books to remove, asserting it placed the burden on her.
Her separate lawsuit against three individuals who contested the books will continue; this settlement ends the suit against county officials.
Attorney and firm identified: Iris Halpern, Rathod Mohamedbhai (Denver).

ABC News October 09, 2025