1. United States
2. Texas
3. Letter

I’m writing to strongly oppose the ongoing censorship of public education in Texas, including the recent removal of chapters on race, gender, and sexuality from government and economics textbooks in Cypress-Fairbanks ISD (ProPublica, March 28, 2025). These decisions—driven by a politically motivated minority on the state school board—undermine students’ access to accurate, inclusive, and evidence-based education. If we want a future of informed voters and thoughtful leaders, we must protect academic freedom and the right to learn about the full scope of our history and society. These actions are not just about textbooks—they reflect a deeper effort to control information and suppress critical thinking. Whitewashing history and excluding marginalized communities from the curriculum are tactics used by authoritarian regimes, including fascist Italy, Nazi Germany, and apartheid-era South Africa. Democracies thrive when citizens are exposed to a diversity of ideas and lived experiences. Limiting that exposure erodes the foundation of self-governance and silences the very voices that democracy is supposed to protect. I urge you to reject this dangerous path. Legislators and state leaders must ensure that curriculum decisions remain grounded in facts and educational integrity—not politics. Public education must prepare students to think critically, engage civically, and understand their rights and responsibilities in a democracy. These textbook removals are a step in the wrong direction, and your leadership is needed to course-correct now.