For LGBTQ mental health support, call the Trevor Project鈥檚 24/7 toll-free support line at 866-488-7386. You can also reach a trained crisis counselor through the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by calling 800-273-8255 or texting 741741.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Texas is calling on the Granbury Independent School District to apologize for the removal of more than 100 books 鈥� most of which center on LGBTQ topics or discussions of race and identity 鈥� from library shelves amid rising and political pressure from Republican lawmakers.
from their bookshelves as GOP-led challenges to students鈥� access to books about sexual orientation and racial identity drive local campaigns. As of Friday, the district had after determining they were suitable, according to a district press release.
Kate Huddleston, an attorney for the ACLU, said the school district should apologize for the removals and release a statement explicitly affirming its commitment to LGBTQ and racial inclusivity as well as to teaching the history of racism and racial injustice. She said removing the books in the first place will have a chilling effect and could discourage children of color and LGBTQ youth in the district from seeking out those titles even when they鈥檙e available again.
鈥淕ranbury ISD鈥檚 mass book removals have already harmed students in the district, both by directly suppressing speech and access to ideas and by sending the message to Black, brown, and LGBTQ+ students that Granbury ISD rejects their history and belonging in the community,鈥� the ACLU said in a letter sent on Monday to the school district that was also signed by other civil rights organizations in the state.
Huddleston stopped short of saying the organization would file a lawsuit against Granbury ISD if the removed books weren鈥檛 returned to the district鈥檚 libraries.
鈥淎ll options are on the table,鈥� she said in an interview with The Texas Tribune.
Granbury ISD officials did not respond Monday to a request for comment on the ACLU鈥檚 letter.
Though they鈥檝e returned most books to the district鈥檚 libraries, Granbury ISD leaders said in the press release that they decided to remove one book permanently 鈥渂ecause of sexually explicit content鈥� but did not specify what the title was. Two others were either lost or never in the district鈥檚 book catalog, they said. A committee will complete its review of the 25 books remaining next month, the district said.
About 94 of the books initially removed, or 73% of them, feature LGBTQ characters or themes, according to a of the popular book review site Goodreads.
In 2013, the ACLU was successful in getting a book title back onto shelves in a Utah school library. The organization settled a lawsuit with the district, which agreed to restock a book about two mothers and their adopted children. The title had been taken off shelves because some parents complained it "normalized a lifestyle we don鈥檛 agree with."
In October, Texas Rep. , R-Fort Worth, who was then running for attorney general, that he said should be investigated. The majority of the titles dealt with LGBTQ themes, while some just included LGBTQ characters, according to an . Some of the books removed by Granbury ISD also appeared on Krause鈥檚 list.
Transgender children and their families have recently been targeted in recent Republican political campaigns. Republican Gov. 鈥� seven days before a GOP primary election in which he鈥檚 being accused of not being conservative enough 鈥� ordered state child welfare officials to into reports of transgender kids receiving , leading many children to express terror over how they might be limited from receiving care in the future.
Multiple studies have found that LGBTQ youth are at higher risk of suicide compared to their heterosexual peers. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nationally were bullied at school and . Advocates and several studies show that children are more likely to die by suicide when facing family rejection or bullying.
Courtney Gore, a newly-elected Granbury school board member, but said the district is not taking aim at LGBTQ students or community members.
鈥淎ll students at GISD are loved and cared for by the amazing staff and administration,鈥� she said. 鈥淲ith that, public schools are not the place for young people to express themselves sexually.鈥�
Nearly 1,000 people launched by Granbury students protesting the district鈥檚 removal of the books.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 think that little children should be shocked or disgusted by our identities,鈥� a queer senior at a Granbury High School school board meeting said earlier this year, warning that removing the books would send a dangerous message. 鈥淚t鈥檚 disgusting that, even in 2022, we still have to have these discussions about censorship.鈥�
