Katy ISD clarifies its book banning policy over nudity
After an unprecedented round of book banning in Katy ISD led to the removal of several elementary library books depicting cartoon rear ends, the board of trustees on Monday scaled back the conditions under which a book may be banned.
The board unanimously approved a new update to the policy that in August was changed to add “nudity” as a reason for removal. Prior to the August change, elementary level books had never been banned in district history.
The district has now amended the policy to clarify that only “explicit frontal nudity” is grounds for a book’s removal.
In August and September, an internal committee found 14 books to be inappropriate for children. Among the titles removed from elementary schools
include Eric Carle’s illustrated classic “Draw Me a Star,” Judy Blume’s coming of age novel “Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret,” Dr. Seuss’ “Wacky Wednesday” and Robert Munsch’s “The Paper Bag Princess,” all of which have been in circulation for more than 40 years.
The Monday revision was requested by board members Dawn Champagne and Rebecca Fox, both of whom initially voted in support of the policy.
While the district has yet to comment on why the new books were banned, many of the books — including David Shannon’s award-winning children’s book “No, David!” — contain an image of cartoon buttocks.
Katy ISD parent Sam Rich said when she volunteered to read books to her children’s classes, “No, David!” was always a top request.
“They love these books. They connect with these books,” she said. “‘No, David!’ motivates them to read, laugh, think, discuss and learn. Thanks to this board, ‘No, David!’ is now banned.”
Board president Victor Perez said the policy was not meant to be directed against books like Shannon’s, and a committee, not the board, removed the 14 newly banned books.
“The board’s intent was never to remove well-known, cartoonlike children’s books just because they showed a little drawing of a little boy’s rear end,” he said.
Paul von Helmond, whose children graduated from Katy ISD, chastised the board for writing the policy in vague and broad terms.
“Librarians are to enforce the rules and have no leeway in the result,” he said. “The result is the embarrassing removal of books that nobody in their right mind wants to ban.”
Champagne said she did not think it was fair to hold librarians responsible for the book removals.
“I don’t blame the librarians for following the new policy the way that it was written about nudity and implied nudity, which obviously led to some of our most beloved children’s books to be removed,” Champagne said. “I’m also personally sorry that I did not pay better attention to the implications of the wording in the policy that we voted on a couple of months ago.”
Fox said she hopes the revised policy will help bring some of the elementary books back to schools.