“Can a library that is confused about biological reality be trusted with more tax dollars?” asks Perkins.
EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH, LA — Today, a coalition of 23 Baton Rouge area pastors released a letter to the East Baton Rouge Parish Library Board of Control, Library Director Katrina Stokes, and the Metropolitan Council concerning the termination of former East Baton Rouge Parish Library employee and bi-vocational Pastor Luke Ash.
Ash was an East Baton Rouge library technician who was fired for respectfully declining to use male pronouns for a female coworker, citing his biblical convictions about truth. In the letter, the pastors are asking that the Library Board:
- Reexamine the circumstances surrounding the termination of Pastor Luke Ash.
- Ensure that employees are not subjected to discrimination because of their sincerely held religious beliefs.
- Review policies that compel speech or require affirmation of contested ideological beliefs.
- Demonstrate a genuine commitment to viewpoint diversity that includes traditional religious perspectives.
- Provide greater transparency regarding the Library’s financial reserves and the necessity of additional tax revenue.
Family Research Council president Tony Perkins, a resident of East Baton Rouge Parish and a former Louisiana state representative, commented:
“Can a library that is confused about biological reality be trusted with more tax dollars? It’s somewhat ironic that the library has a policy not to fine patrons who do not return books on time or return them at all, yet they fire employees who refuse to engage in forced speech and deny biological reality. Truth matters. And playing along with a lie doesn’t honor others — it erodes freedom. The government should never require individuals to choose between their employment and their faith,” concluded Perkins.
Earlier this year, on April 16, FRC Action (the legislative affiliate of Family Research Council), along with the East Baton Rouge Pray Vote Stand Chapter, delivered over 25,000 petition signatures to the East Baton Rouge Parish Library Board on behalf of Ash.
Liberty Counsel, who is representing Pastor Ash, also sent another demand letter earlier this month to the Library and the Library Board of Control.
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