News & Updates

As a long-time parent within the Garland Independent School District (GISD), I have always valued the commitment of educators to foster an environment of learning and exploration for our children. However, recent developments regarding the censorship of books within school libraries have raised significant concerns among parents like myself.

The Montgomery County Commissioners Court is proposing and voting on a new Reconsideration of Library Materials Policy on March 26, 2024. This proposed policy would strip librarians at the Montgomery County Memorial Library System of their voice—and the community of the librarians’ knowledge and expertise. Moreover, it gives the power to five, commissioner-appointed citizens to dictate which children’s, young adult and parenting books can remain on the library’s shelves.

In recent years, Texas has been involved in many debates over banning books in educational institutions and public libraries. Advocates argue that such actions are vital for shielding young minds from objectionable content, while critics say that book banning undermines intellectual freedom and overlooks the root problem of literacy. Texas faces a significant literacy challenge, often called an "illiteracy" problem. However, banning books is not the remedy for this issue. Instead, there are more effective strategies for enhancing literacy rates among Texas residents.

Public Comment Delivered to Llano ISD School Board on 2/26/24- My name is Leila Green Little.  My children are the 5th generation in their family to attend Llano’s public schools, with two of their grandmothers having taught here, and ancestors with names carved into the concrete in front of the O. Henry building.  I love this public school system.  I received an excellent education here, and feel that my children are also receiving an excellent education from caring, hardworking teachers.  

I applaud our librarians, administrators, and school board, most especially for their adherence to policies and procedures in the face of attempted intimidation.  The ship is right, and I hope we don’t steer off course.  

On Friday my wife’s job as a teacher-librarian was cut, meaning she will be out of a librarian job when her contract runs out prior to the next school year. Every other teacher-librarian in the district met the same fate.

Today Katy ISD, a large suburban school district west of Houston, informed staff librarians they can no longer request to purchase books they have not read in their entirety. Katy ISD also informed staff librarians the district will begin publishing the name of the campuses next to the title of the book on the purchase order dashboard. 

The Fayetteville County Record reported on January 30, 2024, that the La Grange ISD School Board voted to postpone a vote, on whether or not to permit the purchase of 4 library books, under their recently adopted library book acquisition policy. The books under fire are Class Act by Jerry Craft, Can I Touch Your Hair by Irene Latham, Finally Seen by Kelly Yang and Eyes of the Forest by April Henry. 

It was a cold Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday this year, and my family and I puttered around the house, snacking, working on puzzles, and reading library books. I had just sat down with a cup of coffee when my eight-year-old son walked up behind me and said in a quiet voice, “I just read about what happened to the Jews in Germany.”

112 book titles were on the Katy ISD “internal review” cue between October 23, 2023 - January 11, 2024. 62 of those titles were submitted to the District for “internal review” by one parent.  

A district administrator told me that there is nothing unusual about sourcing “internal review” ideas from parents. However, as someone who has looked at thousands of emails about internal and formal book reviews in Katy ISD, I can tell you- this is not normal. 

Texas Freedom to Read Project is thrilled that the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, in blocking HB900, has recognized and affirmed booksellers, librarians, teachers, and parents' concerns that the law violates the First Amendment. We thank BookPeople and Blue Willow Bookshop for their courage and tenacity in standing up against this unconstitutional law. This is a win for Texas students and a vindication of the freedom to read.