Some Texas senators are considering strengthening a state law meant to give parents more control over what’s in school libraries.
During a Senate Education Committee hearing Wednesday, lawmakers heard about what some speakers called loopholes in Senate Bill 13, one of a slate of “parental rights” bills passed in the last session. It gave school boards, instead of librarians, final say on the materials allowed in school libraries, and gave districts the option of creating School Library Advisory Councils to oversee approval of new books.
Denton-area state Sen. Brent Hagenbuch said despite the law, some books containing explicit material still remain in school libraries.
He cited a podcast with Lt. Gov Dan Patrick and conservative and controversial activist Bonnie Wallace, who told Patrick “20% of school districts” have removed books by local councils, “but 80% have done nothing.” Books she deems indecent, profane or educationally unsuitable remain or may remain on library shelves.
“It sounds like, if this is accurate, the law’s not really having the effect that we had hoped,” Hagenbuch said. “I think part of the issue is that the law really doesn’t address the books that are on the shelves.”
In response, Shannon Trejo, the deputy commissioner in the Texas Education Agency’s Office of School Programs, agreed, saying many school districts don’t have an online catalogue of books in their libraries.
“Districts have expressed concerns about the heavy lift,” she said. “If it were addressing all of the books currently on the shelves to do a complete review, that would also be a lot of work.”
Committee chair Sen. Donna Campbell questioned why there is still “smut” in libraries if local parents have control over materials. She said the state might still have to “step in.”
“I think local control is good until it’s ‘loco’ control,” she said. “The more government steps in, the less freedoms you have. But I believe sometimes government has to step in with guardrails and take a look.”
Several parents testified that lawmakers and activists are already overreaching in regards to SB13.
Laney Hawes, the founder of the advocacy group Texas Freedom to Read Project, said books like “Hatchet” have been unnecessarily removed from libraries. She said local districts should decide with parents what books are appropriate for school libraries.
“According to the law, the state doesn’t get to decide whether the district has removed the correct books,” she said. “There is no list.”
Bill Zeeble is KERA’s education reporter. Got a tip? Email Bill at bzeeble@kera.org. You can follow him on X @bzeeble.
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