Texas Governor Greg Abbott has recently signed a controversial law aimed at banning “sexually explicit” material from public schools in the state. The law, intended to “get that trash out of our schools,” according to Abbott, requires the Texas State Library and Archives Commission to establish new mandatory standards for school libraries. These standards include the implementation of a rating system to restrict or prohibit certain books based on their depiction or reference to sexual content. As a result, book vendors will be required to classify materials as either “sexually relevant” or “sexually explicit” in order to sell them to school districts, with books falling into the latter category being subject to recall.
Under this new law, “sexually explicit material” is defined as any communication, language, or material that describes, depicts, or portrays sexual conduct in a manner considered patently offensive by the state’s penal code. However, books deemed “sexually relevant” but not deemed patently offensive will still be accessible to students, provided they have parental permission.
This move has sparked concerns over censorship and the suppression of diverse voices in schools. According to a recent report by PEN America, Texas was among the five states where book bans were most prevalent during the 2022-2023 school year. The report highlighted that book banners disproportionately targeted stories by and about people of color and LGBTQ+ individuals. In fact, 28 percent of the banned books featured LGBTQ+ characters or themes, while 30 percent focused on issues of race and racism.
The new law on “sexually explicit” books is part of a series of “parental empowerment” bills signed by Governor Abbott. Across the nation, the concept of “parental rights” in education has been utilized as a pretext by conservatives to impose bans on books and restrict or prohibit classroom instruction on LGBTQ+ issues and the history of racism in the United States. PEN America’s report emphasized the concerning trend of book bans, coupled with legislative efforts to limit teaching on vital topics, which erode students’ freedom to read, learn, and think critically.
This controversial development underscores the ongoing struggle between advocates for free expression and those seeking to suppress information and diverse perspectives in educational settings. The implications of such actions on the education system and the rights of students remain subjects of intense debate.