By any other name, NEISD’S removal of books still smells
In defending its decision to pull more than 400 books from its school libraries in recent weeks, North East ISD has called the process a “review,” “reorganization” and “reshuffling.” Let’s call it what it is — an affront to the educational mission of public schools.
Any decision to review and potentially remove books from school libraries is cause for concern. That this one is occurring at the impetus of a Republican lawmaker who does not represent San Antonio and is clearly out to score political points ahead of a primary election is all the more shameful.
The 400-plus titles North East ISD is reviewing come from a list published by Republican state Rep. Matt Krause, a founding member of the conservative House Freedom Caucus and a recently announced candidate for attorney general. Krause released the list in late October as part of a statewide inquiry targeting books that pertain to race or sexuality, or “might make students feel discomfort.”
What do these supposedly
objectionable books have in common? Most address matters of race, gender and sexuality. The majority are written by people of color, women or LGBTQ authors. Some are Pulitzer Prize winners, such as “The Confessions of Nat Turner” by William Styron. Others are national bestsellers, such as Isabel Wilkerson’s “Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents” and Ta-nehisi Coates’ “Between the World and Me.” All apparently fail Krause’s political purity test.
Public school libraries are critical to the educational mission of public schools. The books in them should enlighten, entertain and, yes, challenge the students who choose to open them. As a North East ISD student, the library was a place to dive deep into topics that interested me and explore diverse points of view on everything from sports to politics and religion.
No student is served when districts buckle to political pressure
to bring its library contents more in line with one lawmaker’s point of view. Not to mention the harmful signal that removing authors of color and LGBTQ writers sends to nonwhite or LGBTQ students.
It’s no surprise a Republican lawmaker would fan the flames of the culture wars in an effort to boost his electoral chances ahead of a primary. What’s shocking is that North East ISD, one of the largest school districts in Texas, and whose student body is more than 75 percent nonwhite, would so readily comply with Krause’s political request targeting authors of color, a request school districts have no legal obligation to comply. Indeed, school districts in Dallas and Austin have dismissed the request outright.
North East ISD has thus far defended its decision while attempting to deflect the suggestion that books are being removed. “The idea is more of a reorganization and a reshuffle — the purpose is not to remove books,” North East ISD spokesperson Aubrey Chancellor told NPR. Yet some 75 titles have already been flagged for potential removal.
Instead of arguing semantics, the district should immediately cease its review of Krause’s blacklisted books. A thoughtful and deliberate review of book titles is not, by itself, problematic. But to do so at the direction of what is clearly a political attack on authors of color and books that address race and sexuality is sorely misguided.
Perhaps North East ISD needs to be reminded that the contents of its school libraries need not, indeed should not, pass Krause’s political purity tests.