Just a day before students returned to class, school officials in Keller instructed campuses to pull any book that was challenged last year from library shelves.
This includes those that were flagged but later approved by a committee to remain in libraries and classrooms such as Toni Morrison’s The Bluest Eye, Anne Frank’s Diary (The Graphic Adaptation) and even the Bible.
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Jennifer Price, the district’s curriculum director, emailed principals a set of instructions Tuesday morning, along with a spreadsheet of every challenged title.
“By the end of today, I need all books pulled from the library and classrooms. More information will be sent regarding action for these books. … Once this has been completed, please email me a confirmation. We need to ensure this action is taken by the end of today.” - Jennifer Price
District spokesman Bryce Nieman said Keller school trustees recently approved a new policy that requires every book that was previously challenged to be reconsidered. So for months, Keller parents, community members, and staff met behind closed doors to review the challenged books and determine whether they should remain in classrooms or libraries. The debate is so heated members of the district’s Book Challenge Committees were asked to sign confidentiality agreements.
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Keller officials argued that the District kept its book challenge committee deliberations secret in part because of fear of retribution from Gov. Greg Abbott’s office. Keller was one of the North Texas districts where conservative PACS poured big money into local school board May elections. Several of the books challenged in Keller also appeared on a list circulated by Rep. Matt Krause last year.
By removing challenged books, school district decision-makers allow well-funded dark money, politicians or the political party in power, and special interest groups to make sweeping changes to school library collections. Our students deserve access to well-curated, age-appropriate, and instructive school library collections.
