1. United States
2. Texas
3. Letter

I am writing to demand that you put an end to book bans in our schools and libraries. As a parent, it is my right—not the government’s—to decide what my family reads. A recent public information request filed by the Texas Freedom to Read Project confirmed that Lamar CISD (LCISD) removed over 700 books from classrooms and school libraries at the start of the 2025–2026 school year. Nearly 300 titles—including Pinkalicious by Victoria Kann, The Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munsch, Beloved by Toni Morrison, and Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut—have been permanently banned from students. This purge happened before Senate Bill 13 even took effect, and LCISD cited vague references to HB 900 and its own local library policy, which actually goes further than state law. That same local policy even led to censoring an entire lesson on the state of Virginia because the state flag “has boobs on it.” This is not education—it’s absurdity. On top of the permanent bans, LCISD has placed another 450+ titles under review—books that teachers have been instructed to remove from classrooms and libraries. Students are barred from access to works like Maus I and Maus II by Art Spiegelman, Drama by Raina Telgemeier, Black Boy Joy by Kwame Alexander, and The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros. Some teachers have been forced to rewrite previously approved lesson plans because of these restrictions. Even more outrageous: LCISD admits that not a single formal request to reconsider any library or instructional materials has been filed since before January 1, 2024. This means these books are being targeted not by concerned parents, but by political pressure campaigns. In fact, the American Library Association has reported that 72% of book challenges in 2024 came from politicians or groups with political agendas—not parents. So I ask you: Why are Texas schools letting political groups dictate what our children can and cannot read? Why are books by award-winning authors—books that help students understand history, empathy, and the human experience—being stripped away without parents even asking for their removal? This is not about protecting children. This is about censorship. This is about silencing voices and narrowing perspectives at the expense of students’ education. Texas has always prided itself on independence and freedom. Yet what is happening in our schools is the opposite. Parents—not politicians—should guide their children’s reading. I urge you to act immediately to stop book bans in Texas. Protect intellectual freedom. Protect the rights of parents and families. And above all, protect students’ access to a full, honest, and diverse education.