Inside the Recent Wave of Book Bannings In Texas Schools
Books including content about race, LGBTQ+, and gender are being pulled from school library shelves over parental and conservative backlash.
According to an investigation done by NBC News, this has been more relevant than in previous years, with 75 requests coming from parents to remove certain books from the library this year. A contrast from the single formal complaint a year prior.
Granbury ISD sophomore speaking out against books being pulled off of school library shelves. 👏 pic.twitter.com/MHPL8MNrAD
— Christopher Tackett (@cjtackett) January 25, 2022
In a Dallas suburb, a parent wanted a picture book about Olympian Wilma Rudolph removed because it talked about her experience with racism as a Black girl in Tennessee. In the Houston suburb of Katy, a parent asked the school district to remove a Michelle Obama biography over allegations of the book promoting “reverse racism.”
This issue has negative implications for students who benefit from a diverse catalog of reading materials. One girl from Katy, interviewed by NBC during the investigation, stated her sadness over LGBTQ+ books being removed, “As I’ve struggled with my own identity as a queer person, it’s been really, really important to me that I have access to these books…And I’m sure it’s really important to other queer kids. You should be able to see yourself reflected on the page.”
The book bans hit me so hard because I can’t fathom the impact just a single thoughtful story about a trans girl would have had on me as a kid. It’s not an exaggeration to say censorship can take years off your life.
— Gillian Branstetter (@GBBranstetter) January 27, 2022
Some librarians, being fearful for their jobs, have quietly removed titles involving LGBTQ+ content. Some have become so frustrated that they are thinking of leaving the profession or have already left. According to one former librarian, “I think a lot of librarians are making decisions out of fear, and that puts us in a position of self-censorship.”
Three Katy school district employees stated that senior administrators have pulled books from shelves even after they were greenlit by review committees. This has serious negative implications for the future of learning for Texas public school students.
