Conroe ISD is considering changing its book policies to align with Katy ISD to define “sexually explicit materials” and allow board members to formally appeal a decision by the district’s book reconsideration committee.
The Conroe school board will revisit the issue at its Nov. 14 meeting.
Trustee Tiffany Nelson, who brought the changes forward based on Katy ISD’s policy, said the changes will put the district in compliance with House Bill 900, which removes sexually explicit books from school libraries and sets out a rating system for books by booksellers.
HB 900 will require school library booksellers to identify books, including those written for teens, that are “sexually explicit” or “sexually relevant,” and those books rated “sexually explicit” would be banned from schools. The law also requires booksellers to identify such books sold to school districts in the past.
Several Texas booksellers have filed a lawsuit challenging the law, putting it on hold. The lawsuit argues booksellers will suffer financial damage if they lose school-related business.
Nelson said making the changes to the policy will help the district in the long run.
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“As parents continue to bring questionable books (to us) I feel that it is important we put something in place,” Nelson said regarding the definition of sexually explicit material. “I think it is the missing point we have had in our policies.”
Nelson also requested the policy be changed to allow board members to formally appeal decisions by the district’s book reconsideration committee when the person requesting the review does not appeal the committee’s decision.
The district’s current policy allows a person to request a review of a book they feel is inappropriate for students or violates the Texas Education Code. If the person is not satisfied with that result, they can appeal the decision, which is ultimately heard by the board.
According to the district’s website, the district has reviewed 15 books with Black Boy Joy by Kwame Mbalia the only one pending review. The book includes stories about the joys of Black boyhood with stories from seventeen bestselling Black authors.
The district adopted its current book and library policies in September 2022.
During the district’s Oct. 17 meeting, district Counsel Carrie Galatas provided a copy of Katy ISD’s revised policy for Conroe ISD that streamlines the district’s book guidelines and makes the policy more “user friendly.”
In September, after the Katy ISD Board of Trustees added “nudity” as a reason to remove a book from a library in August, the Katy ISD board amended its policy to clarify that only “explicit frontal nudity” is grounds for a book’s removal.
Trustee Datren Williams said the district’s policy has been discussed several times by the board and additional changes were not needed.
“We have had multiple board meetings and a workshop regarding our book policy,” Williams said. “We have discussed this topic ad nauseam. I don’t see any additional value in discussing the topic today. I’m opposed to any additional censorship.”
Williams said the issue with book material is not a widespread public concern noting he has received fewer than 100 emails about the issue.
Williams made two motions one to table the issue and a second to not make any more changes to the book policy. Both motions died for a lack of second.
Nelson said Katy ISD is a “great example” for Conroe ISD since the districts are similar in size.
“I don’t see any reason why we can’t have that in the policy as well,” said Board President Skeeter Hubert. “It strengthens our policy. It reaffirms it’s in the Texas Education Code but it is in our policy too.”
