A group of concerned parents reviewed over 1,000 book titles for possible controversial and/or inappropriate material for children, documenting what makes these books controversial and at what Eanes Independent School District schools they are available to children. While the purpose of the list is not for all of these books to be banned from school libraries, numerous titles do possibly break federal laws for distribution of pornography to a minor and are not able to be read on radio or television per FCC regulations. It’s safe to say many parents will be shocked by the graphic nature of these books – books that cannot be on the airwaves but yet can be in their children’s hands without their permission.
In addition to books of a sexual nature, the Critical Race Theory-themed books possibly break Texas’ Senate Bill 3, effective December 2, 2021. And some material in these books explicitly requires parental consent by law under the Texas Education Code and should not be made available to minor children without parental permission.
While the document was created as a resource for parents to see the materials available in libraries, it is worth noting that it does not extend to books that may be available in classrooms or through reading apps.
PRO TIP: Many of these books normalize crimes against children. We can support a broad range of viewpoints, experiences, and education in books and still NOT be okay with pornographic or inappropriate materials in schools. There is a vast difference in banning sexual or grooming propaganda from children’s libraries and being in support of “banning books” and the connotations that implies. Parents always have the option to incorporate supplementary books of their choosing at home.
View the list of controversial books in Eanes ISD.
Suggested Action Items
- Review the list, read the books, and do your own research on the titles.
- Ask schools about the selection process. Who reviews books? How are they chosen?
- Find out what books are available in your child’s classroom, apps, and library.
- For mature – but in some cases age-appropriate or situationally appropriate – material, ask for a classification system or a separate section for transparency.
- Ask questions about which of these inappropriate books are available in classrooms, and demand they be removed.
- Schedule meetings with your librarians, principals, and board members to demand they remove ALL pornographic and sexually explicit materials from libraries.
- Contact the Austin area representative on the State Board of Education, Rebecca Bell-Metereau. Below is her response to an email from a constituent about the 333 suspect books found in Eanes.
