EDUCATION
Cy-Fair ISD sees increase in calls to remove contentious books
CY-FAIR ISD’S PROCESS OF BOOK SELECTION, REVIEW AND REMOVAL Cy-Fair ISD works with librarians and a district library
coordinator to compile books for every grade level that fulfill academic requirements and encourage reading engagement.
BY MIKAH BOYD
want collections to “[enrich] the quality and diversity of thought and expression.” At the same time, parents can access campus library catalogs online and request their child not be allowed to check out certain genres or books they deem inappropriate, Macias said. For books read in English Language Arts classes, parents are also notified two weeks ahead of the start of a new unit and can opt for alternative selections. Officials said the district has removed nine books that were either brought to its attention by other districts or included in a list of 850 books state Rep. Matt Krause, R-Fort Worth, said in an October letter could “make students feel discomfort, guilt, anguish, or any other form of psychological distress because of their race or sex.” Macias said library collections at the district level are carefully com- piled with considerations for reading levels, curriculum enrichment and promoting reading engagement. “Within the broad scope of liter- ature that we provide to students, there may be scenes in which a char- acter’s actions or motives generate conflicting opinions,” Macias said. “Our intent is never to condone this behavior but rather to provide the opportunity to learn from diverse experiences in life.” Community concerns Cy-Fair resident Julie Rix said she and her peers would like to see their values prioritized in books and curriculum within the district. “God, family, country is the moral majority,” Rix said. “We need the fear of God amongst us because we are all in a position of responsibility and will be held accountable to God for the manner in which we disciple the next generation.” However, members of the Cy-Fair Civic Alliance have vocally supported the provision of books with diverse perspectives. The group is described as “a nonpartisan organization ... committed to improving civic health and promoting civic harmony within Cy-Fair ISD,” according to its
REMOVED BOOKS
Local parents have taken to Cy-Fair ISD board meetings this school year to debate the value of certain content and language used in books available to children—including ones that cover issues such as race, homosexuality, religion and sexual assault. In recent meetings, parents have called for increased parental input in the selection, approval and removal of books from district libraries in hopes of shielding their children from views they find in conflict with their values and beliefs. Parents have called for the book “Flamer,” for example, to be removed from CFISD libraries due to obscene content. However, during the May 9 board meeting, local resident Jennifer Chenette said she believes such books can help students feel seen and heard. CFISD parent Monica Dean requested a system to alert parents when their child checks out a book from the library that would allow the parent to accept, reject or request to review the content. “This is not about restricting books; it’s about giving parents more rights in granting permission to what their student is checking out,” Dean said at the May 9 meeting. Book review process The State Board of Education released guidance for districts to maximize transparency in book selec- tions and limit potential exposure to inappropriate materials on April 11, after receiving a directive from Gov. Greg Abbott. CFISD has book selection and removal procedures in place to ensure students can access mate- rials relevant to their studies or for personal reading pleasure without exposure to materials that lack social redeeming values, according to Chief Academic Officer Linda Macias. The district has a certified librarian on every campus, where students have access to about 1.59 million physical and digital books. Macias said library collections vary across the district because content is selected to fit the needs of students at each campus, but district officials
“Bend, Don’t Shatter: Poets on the Beginning of Desire” Edited by T. Cole Rachel & Rita D. Costello Reason for removal: K “Forbidden” by Tabitha Suzuma Reason for removal : D “Forever for a Year” by B.T. Gottfred Reason for removal: D “ Gender Queer” by Maia Kobabe Reason for removal: K “Jack of Hearts (and Other Parts)” by Lev AC Rosen Reason for removal: D “The Breakaways” by Cathy G. Johnson Reason for removal: K “The Nerdy and the Dirty” by B. T. Gottfred Reason for removal: D “This Book is Gay” by Juno Dawson Reason for removal: K “What Girls Are Made Of” by Elena K. Arnold Reason for removal: D D Questioned at other districts Districts throughout the state have removed contentious books from their libraries in the past year. Nine books have been removed from CFISD libraries after being deemed inappropriate by state officials or in other school districts. K On Krause’s list State Rep. Matt Krause, R-Fort Worth, questioned the content of 850 books in a list released last fall.
SOURCE: CY-FAIR ISD/COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER
CONSIDERATIONS FOR SELECTION
• Reading levels • Curriculum enrichment • Promote growth and reading enjoyment
PARENT INPUT
Parents can contact their child’s campus librarian to request their child not be allowed to check out certain genres and books. Parents can access campus library catalogs through the district website. Parents receive a letter two weeks prior to the start of a unit in English Language Arts classes with text selections. Alternative selections are always provided if selected readings are not appropriate for their child.
STUDENT CHOICE
ELA classroom libraries follow state curriculum standards for students to “self-select texts and read independently for a sustained period of time.”
PREVIOUSLY QUESTIONED BOOKS
Parents or students have asked for the following books to be removed from CFISD libraries, but ultimately they were not removed. 2019-20: “Captain Underpants Sage of Sir Stinks-A-Lot” by Dav Piley 2019-20: “Ron’s Big Mission” by Blue Rose 2020-21: “A Child Soldier” by Jessica Dee Humphreys & Michel Chikwanine 2020-21: “Drama” by Raina Telgemeier 2021-22: “A Long Walk to Water” by Linda Sue Park
Facebook page. In April, members delivered flow- ers and treats to district librarians to “counteract the vitriol” from individ- uals requesting books be removed, according to member Lesley Guilmart, who is also an instructional coach at Cy-Fair High School. Cristina Mejia is a member of the CFCA and an elementary school
parent. She said she believes library content should be age appropriate and has found this to be true in CFISD. “I know that not everybody [or every librarian] is going to have the same opinions on different things, but acknowledging that they are the experts in the field, we can have differing opinions, and that’s where we follow the process,” Mejia said.
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CY-FAIR EDITION • JUNE 2022
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