A School District in Texas was forced to remove copies of the Bible citing 'Sexually Explicit' material. A new House Bill prompted the removal.
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The Bill in question is known as HB 900 or the Restricting Explicit and Adult-Designated Educational Resources (READER) Act. This Act aims to regulate explicit materials found in public libraries, whether they are to be read or purchased. The READER Act specifically targets books with at least a single instance of sexual content.
Section 35.005 of the Act specifies, "Parental consent (is) required for the use of certain library materials." The section explains that written parental permission is required before students can view the material, provided it's "sexually relevant."
The restriction on the Bible has since been lifted following clarification by State Rep. Jared Patterson. However, an email from Canyon ISD added more fuel to the fire before the situation was resolved.
Parents Sound Off In A School Board Meeting
The Daily Mail posted a link to a leaked email from Superintendent Darryl Flusche, which explained, "HB900 doesn't allow numerous books, including the full text of the Bible, to be available in the school library." The email also states, "There are 30 titles available in Canyon Junior High library that are Bible stories, or portions of the Bible."
The email bafflingly concludes, "If any student would like to have a Bible, we have strong connections with local churches that are happy to donate a Bible on request."
This email went down as well, as you probably expected. Angry parents voiced their frustrations at a heated school board meeting. One mother, Regina Kiehne, said, "The House Bill has ironically also removed the Bible from our library shelves. It seems absurd to me that the Good Book was thrown out with the bad books."
"In a day where we are needing security guards and bulletproof windows and doors, I think having the word of God available to our children can be not only preventative to violence but also provide comfort and a sense of security in a chaotic world."
Kiehne continues, "Bible sales have increased 22%. The cause cited is increased anxiety related to events such as the election, inflation, and international conflict." She also cites many of these sales as being for Gen Z readers.
