AUSTIN, Texas — Amid growing scrutiny from parents and conservative politicians of curriculum in Texas public schools, a Republican state lawmaker has asked superintendents to investigate and catalog books in schools related to race and sex or that could produce “discomfort” among students.
State Rep. Matt Krause of Fort Worth, chairman of an investigating committee, is also asking for a tally of how much districts spent on the books.
He made the request to select superintendents and Texas Education Agency deputy commissioner Lily Laux in a Monday letter with a list of more than 800 books for districts to check against library and classroom collections.
The list includes books related to marginalized groups, social justice and on health, including “The Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine” and titles on sexually transmitted diseases.
The letter also called on school districts to identify other books or content addressing “human sexuality” and “material that might make students feel discomfort … or convey that a student, by virtue of their race or sex, is inherently racist, sexist, or oppressive, whether consciously or unconsciously,” mirroring language in a new Texas law targeting classroom discussions of such topics.
The exact ramifications of Krause’s request are still unclear, but Democratic lawmakers and library and education advocates decried the effort as once again putting schools in the crosshairs of political and cultural fights.
“It’s been a really concerning situation for our school librarians, and our education system has already been so strained over the last year and a half,” said Shirley Robinson, executive director of the Texas Library Association.
In Central Texas, officials at the Austin, Round Rock, Leander, Pflugerville and Lake Travis school districts said they received the letter. District leaders at Austin and Round Rock districts said they would work to respond to the request.
“Our Library Director is working on the request,” Round Rock spokeswoman Jenny LaCoste-Caputo told the American-Statesman. “It will take a significant amount of time to research each title and determine which ones we have available, at which campuses, how many copies, and the cost for each.”
In the Leander, Pflugerville and Lake Travis school districts, spokespeople said district leaders were still determining next steps.
The letter appears to have been sent to large urban and suburban school districts across the state, said Joy Baskin, director of legal services for the Texas Association of School Boards.
Krause did not respond to Statesman inquiries about the request.
In the letter, Krause invoked his role as the chairman of the Texas House General Investigating Committee, noting the committee “may initiate inquiries concerning any ‘matter the committee considers necessary for the information of the legislature or for the welfare and protection of state citizens.’”
People who disobey a subpoena or other process that a general investigating committee lawfully issues can be cited by the committee for contempt of the Legislature, which is punishable by a fine of between $100 and $1,000 and imprisonment for at least 30 days and up to a year, according to Texas government code.
But the request was not made as a formal public records request or subpoena and has raised questions even among some of the committee members, Baskin said.
In response to a question about how the TEA would respond to the request, the agency provided a statement: “TEA’s investigative authority arises under the provisions of the Texas Education Code. Legislative investigatory authority falls outside of TEA’s purview, and any question regarding such authority should be directed to the committee. In addition, TEA does not comment on investigations that it may or may not have opened that haven’t yet closed.”
