KATY, TX (Covering Katy News) – The Katy Independent School District Board of Trustees conducted a deep-diving, robust 50-minute discussion of how the district needs to handle library materials moving forward. The discussion happened at the June 26 school board meeting.
The district's General Counsel began the conversation with a 10-minute explanation of the newly passed Texas READER Act (House Bill 900), which requires that book vendors create a rating system for materials they sell to public and open-enrollment schools. Books that don't pass the rating test will not be allowed in school libraries.
"It requires that our book vendors create a standard that prohibits buying harmful materials, which are sexually explicit, pervasively vulgar or educationally unsuitable," Katy ISD General Council Justin Graham said.
There are times when sexual references in library books are considered educationally appropriate. Therefore, the READER Act defines "sexually relevant" for school districts to utilize as they review books.
The details of the rating system will take more than a year to work out and implement, but the Katy ISD board majority does not plan to wait for bureaucrats in Austin to dictate the process.
Trustee Morgan Calhoun says the law defines obscene, which is the only guideline needed.
"Why are we waiting for HB 900 to do what we should have already done," Calhoun said. "We have been presented materials for over a year now that fall under obscenity and gross obscenity in our elementary, middle, and high schools, so no, we're not going to wait," she said emphatically.
Monday night's discussion centered on books the district ordered or will be ordering for the upcoming school year.
"We have what appears to be sexually explicit books on our shelves now, and it appears we have sexually explicit books pending purchase," Board President Victor Perez said. "What would be wrong with pausing and stopping purchasing books unless they are essential and required for the new campuses?"
The book mentioned specifically was Milk and Honey. See its controversial images by clicking HERE. By clicking you are confirming that you are 18 or older.
For example, Trustee Calhoun read a passage from Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur, a book Katy ISD librarians ordered for the upcoming school year. The book has four chapters that explore incest, violence and abuse in a way that will be shocking to many.
"You have been taught your legs are a pit stop for men that need a place to rest, a vacant body empty enough for guests, but no one ever comes and is willing to stay," the book says.
The book also contains additional graphic passages, including one describing fingers penetrating a minor's vagina.
Parent Tamera McFarland says kids get the wrong message when they read books like Milk and Honey.
"When Katy ISD offers books in their school libraries, it sends a message to students that their schools, teachers, and the Katy ISD board approve of these books being there for them to read," McFarland said.
"We are trying to protect our children," said Trustee Amy Thieme. "Kids cannot unsee this," she said. "We can do better by your kids, and they should get better."
Faldyn and Youngblood Elementary schools are opening in August. Superintendent Ken Gregorski said they will have fully stocked libraries. Still, the board requested, and he agreed, that new book orders will stay in the warehouse while it revises the book vetting process to adjust for the new state laws and give the board more options for keeping books like Milk and Honey out of school district libraries.
"The book vetting process is broken, and I ask this board to make a personal commitment to never allow these books in front of kids again," McFarland said. "These are damaging books, and I am asking you to hold the people who put these in front of minors responsible. You cannot reverse this damage."
During the interim, Trustee Mary Ellen Cuzela said plenty of library books would be available for students.
"Kids are not going without books. There are plenty of books, thousands of great books they can read," Cuzela said.