Sumner County Commission Appoints Conservative Riley Gaines to Library Board Amid Policy Controversy

Riley Gaines, a conservative activist and former collegiate swimmer known for her anti-transgender stance, was appointed to the Sumner County Library Board after a contentious debate about reducing the board's size from nine to seven members. The Sumner County Commission ultimately voted to keep the board at nine members and appointed Gaines alongside Steve Wasilowski to fill existing vacancies, replacing former chair Joanna Daniels. Daniels, who advocated for a policy to remove transgender and sexually explicit materials from library shelves, expressed strong support for Gaines, believing she would continue the conservative push on the board. The appointments come amid ongoing controversy over the library's collection policy, with conservatives seeking to ban certain materials while opposition members have prevented the policy's passage. Gaines has publicly criticized the library for ignoring state bans on funding gender ideology and has actively campaigned for book removals aligned with conservative values. This development reflects the broader cultural and political battles playing out in local institutions regarding transgender issues and library content.