GRANBURY, Texas — The ACLU of Texas, along with other state civil rights groups and education equity organizations, is urging Granbury ISD to return all books related to LGBTQIA+ and racial inclusivity to libraries.

In Jan. 2022, Granbury ISD removed 125 books that were related to the topics of U.S. history of racism, sex education, LGBTQIA+ and racial inclusivity and foundational civil and human rights legal principles. Since then, the school district says, most of the books have been returned to shelves.

In October 2021, state Rep. Matt Krause, R-Fort Worth, sent a letter to Texas Education Agency and select superintendents of school districts, asking for the number of copies of books from a list of nearly 850 titles. Krause did not reveal how the list was created but the books named were related to LGBTQ+ issues and education, sex education, race and racism and transgender issues and people.

Months later, Granbury ISD followed suit, stating that the banned books did not reflect the community’s conservative values.

In a letter to Granbury ISD board members and Superintendent Jeremy K. Glenn, ACLU of Texas calls the removal of these books a violation of the First Amendment, Granbury ISD’s school policy and the Texas Constitution. The letter calls for the district to acknowledge its “grave missteps” in these acts and to affirm its commitment to the LGBTQ+ and racial inclusivity and for it to educate students on racial injustice in the United States and to teach the history of racism.  

“Granbury ISD’s book removals, including targeting books about LGBTQ+ and racial inclusivity and the history of racism, are plainly a violation of the First Amendment. Even though some books have been returned to the shelves, the removals for more than a month have sent a message to Black, brown, and LGBTQ+ students that their identities and experiences are not valued by Granbury ISD,” said Kate Huddleston, staff attorney for ACLU of Texas. “Granbury ISD must not only return all books to the shelves but also take steps to ensure that Black, brown, and LGBTQ+ students have a sense of belonging in the district and that all students know that the district is committed to teaching the history of racism.”

The school district also removed books from the high school library without announcing its actions publicly.  The letter states that these civil rights groups in Texas are afraid that the removal of these books is only the beginning stages of further elimination of books that will continue to violate the First Amendment.

“Fear-mongering about transgender and LGBTQ+ youth has already created an increased hostile school climate, measured through a significant uptick in reported cases of anti-LGBTQ+ victimization at school from both students and administrators,” said Ricardo Martinez, CEO of Equality Texas. “By removing books that appeared in a blatantly partisan letter, Granbury ISD is actively participating in dangerous political theater and falling short of their mission to “provide a rigorous academic curriculum along with enriching and individualized opportunities empowering every student to compete in an ever-changing world.”

According to critics, the removal of books is potentially harmful and a suppression of speech and access to ideas. Texas civil rights groups argue that this act sends a message to those in the Black, brown and LGBTQ+ community that the school district rejects their history and belonging in the community.

The letter demands that Granbury ISD replace all removed books back on the shelves of the library as soon as possible.