State officials investigating whether a North Texas district has 'sexually explicit' books in school

Source: Dallas Morning News

State officials investigating whether a North Texas district has ‘sexually explicit’ books in school

The inquiry into Keller ISD comes as Gov. Greg Abbott has said officials need to do more to keep porn away from students

By Emily Donaldson and Talia Richman
4:13 PM on Dec 9, 2021 CST

Keller ISD is under state investigation after a complaint about library books with “sexually explicit content,” according to a letter sent to the district in late November.

The Texas Education Agency will examine whether the district failed to properly review and monitor library books, leading to students having access to inappropriate content. TEA may refer matters to other law enforcement agencies if necessary, wrote Rebecca Clevlen with the agency’s special investigations unit. The Dallas Morning News obtained a copy of Clevlen’s letter.

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At the time, Abbott referenced a report that Keller ISD had removed Gender Queer: a Memoir by Maia Kobabe after complaints that the book contained pornographic drawings.

Education and free speech advocates have decried the governor’s action and accused him of targeting books that explore LGBT relationships. Authors have spoken out to say their work is important for making sure students can see themselves in literature, while also getting exposure to stories that aren’t aligned with their own.

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Read more: https://www.dallasnews.com/news/education/2021/12/09/state-officials-investigating-whether-a-north-texas-district-has-sexually-explicit-books-in-school/