Lavonnia Moore, a respected library manager in Blackshear, Georgia, has been dismissed after 15 years of service, reportedly due to pressure from a Christian extremist group objecting to her approval of a diversity-themed book display that included a story about a transgender child.
The display, titled “Color Our World,” featured When Aidan Became a Brother, a children’s book by trans author Kyle Lukoff about a young transgender boy preparing for the birth of his sibling. The exhibit was part of a wider regional summer reading initiative highlighting books that celebrate diversity and inclusion. Moore noted that library volunteers curated the display, and she merely supported it as she had done with past community-led displays.
“I simply supported community involvement, just as I have for other volunteer-led displays,” Moore said in a statement. “That’s what librarians do — we create space for everybody.”
However, the inclusion of the book drew criticism from the Alliance for Faith and Family (AFF), a local group known for opposing LGBTQ+ inclusion in public spaces. AFF urged its followers on Facebook to demand the removal of the display and pressure county officials into action, framing the book as “promoting transgenderism.”
Soon after the campaign gained traction, Moore was dismissed from her role. “The display has been removed, and LaVonnia is no longer the Pierce County Library Manager,” the AFF declared in a celebratory post.
Jeremy Snell, director of the Three Rivers Library System, confirmed the decision in a statement to The Blackshear Times, saying the library board believed “new leadership” was needed after what he described as the approval of an “inappropriate” book.
Moore says she was terminated without warning or a fair review. “They used the ‘at-will’ clause in my contract to terminate me on the spot… just the words ‘poor decision making’ on a piece of paper after 15 years of service,” she said. “I am just heartbroken.”
Her sister Alicia added that Lavonnia is “in disbelief” and not coping well emotionally. “She didn’t expect to be punished for doing her job with integrity and love for all patrons, especially children.”
The sisters are now seeking legal representation and urging public support, encouraging people to contact the library board and county officials to demand accountability.
