How to Audit School Libraries for Compliance to the READER Act
September 23, 2024 | Austin, TX
by Christin Bentley M.S., State Republican Executive Committeewoman (SREC) for Senate District 1 & Stop Sexualizing Texas Kids Subcommittee Chair
Laura Giles, a member of the Stop Sexualizing Texas Kids subcommittee, has been going through the exhaustive process of filing grievances with her local school district, Lovejoy ISD, after discovering sexually explicit, pervasively vulgar, and educationally unsuitable books in the Lovejoy High School Library.
The first grievance was filed in spring of 2023, as we were working to get The READER Act passed. Lovejoy ISD has refused to permanently remove these titles, despite temporarily removing them for containing obscenity.
After exhausting all local remedies, Giles’s case is now at the Texas Education Agency (TEA) in front of an Administrative Law Judge. On Monday, September 16th, Lovejoy ISD tried to get the case dismissed, citing that Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath does not have jurisdiction and that the law has been blocked by the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals.
Administrative Law Judge Christopher Maska disagreed, and the case is moving forward on its merits. This is the first documented case making its way to the TEA and in front of an Administrative Law Judge. This is good, as it can help better define the law.
Through the implementation of The READER Act, we are seeing that the exhaustive process of filing grievances with local school districts who refuse to comply with state law is NOT WORKING and may very well be interfering with due process rights.
This problem is not inherent to The READER Act, but a problem with how all of Title I and II of the Texas Education Code is enforced. It is something we will be able to demonstrate through case studies like Giles vs. Lovejoy. However, we need more case studies to demonstrate this is a widespread problem across the State of Texas.
You can help us demonstrate compliance issues by auditing your local school library for filthy books.
If you would like to learn more about the auditing process, please email me at bentley@sd1txgop.org or watch the online webinar training – How To Audit School Libraries for Compliance to The READER Act.
Thank you for your perseverance in the work to protect Texas children. We are making progress because of the engagement of our grassroots! Our movement is growing! As always, I look forward to the good work ahead of us!
In liberty and God’s grace,
Christin Bentley M.S.
SD-1 State Republican Executive Committeewoman
Legislative Priorities Committee
Chair, Stop Sexualizing Texas Kids Subcommittee