ICYMI, book banning is now being pushed by county officials in Texas. This week Williamson County commissioners withheld CARES funds from @LeanderISD & @RoundRockISD based on false allegations about "X-rated" material available. More thoughts & links ahead in thread.
Good start coverage from @mikemarut of @KVUE here, but we need to put a finer point on these issues and get eyes on the situation. Because as with Abbott and Mike Kraus's claims–this is politically motivated & NOT ABOUT THE BOOKS.
How do I know? Because districts that DID receive funds–like @GeorgetownISD–also have targeted books like OUT OF DARKNESS available to students… AS THEY SHOULD. These highly vetted & celebrated works of literature serve the needs of students. (See "additional info" below.)
A reminder: in all cases, the books in question are options AVAILABLE to teens, not required course material. The only difference is that the districts denied funds (@LeanderISD & @RoundRockISD) have struggled with public controversies driven by politicized attacks on books.
And this comes AFTER @LeanderISD officially removed 11 books, including OUT OF DARKNESS, from HS book lists and classroom libraries. What is the commissioners' message? You didn't ban ENOUGH books to appease our base, so no $$ for your students.
Again: the opposition to the books is NOT ABOUT THE BOOKS. Conservative groups (links to follow) are using this to signal who matters in schools and whose very existence is "controversial"–just like the books under attack. That's a destructive message for marginalized teens.
"Concerned" adults at SB mtgs may have convinced themselves that they are worried about "sexually explicit content," but if that were true, they would be showing up to protest the many more books with sexual content that center white, straight characters. Hmm.
What's really going on, then? Knowingly or not, these parents are mouthpieces for GOP-funded orgs that direct them to harass and exhaust school personnel and attack books like OUT OF DARKNESS for quick wins to mobilize a conservative base. Some examples ahead.
No Left Turn categorizes books by "trouble" topics:
https://www.noleftturn.us/exposing-books/
Texans Wake Up goes a step farther by telling parents exactly what to object to, a letter to use, then "go get 'em!"
Moms 4 Liberty & Defending Ed encourage burdensome FOIA requests: https://defendinged.org/expose/
https://www.momsforliberty.org/resources/
(Targeted ISDs say these requests are relentless–& that those making them have the $$ to keep asking–targeting every purchase order, teacher survey, etc.)
Attacks on books & relentless FOIA requests divert resources away from student learning. The values & attitudes of those bringing them do not reflect the community at large. Most folks appreciate their schools are doing & are too busy trying to make ends meet to harass them.
Central Texas: these folks are holding your kids' education hostage. Even if you don't care about your kids' right to read OUT OF DARKNESS or the targeted books, you should care about the harm of these attacks. The endgame here is not the books. It's undermining public ed itself.
And when I say conservatives are "holding your kids' education hostage," this is NOT A METAPHOR. I just got access to this email from commissioner @cynthialong to @LeanderISD, & it could be summarized as "Ban Books for Bucks."
It's extortion, plain & simple.
That should be @CLongTX 👆 Thanks for helping me catch that, @LISDFuss
"Good" news: you (yes, YOU!) can push back. Take 4 minutes to file a complaint against the Williamson County Commission for misuse of CARES Act funds, & spread the word. This concerns EVERY taxpayer, EVERY community member.
Originally tweeted by Ashley Hope Pérez (@ashleyhopeperez) on December 18, 2021.
Scottie's Playtime 
Hi Scottie;
One of the things that I, as an adult, differ from the me as a kid is that I have that hindsight that allows me to look back and see some things that, living in the fight of it at the time, I missed completely. Having said that:
Fear is a real bastard. It drives us to seek to control our environment and the environment of our loved ones. It makes us believe that if we could only keep those people subjected, arm ourselves so no one could hurt us, demand that scary thoughts and ideas were never given the chance to come about, maybe – just maybe! – we could protect the soft parts that can be hurt. Fear destroys the mind, causing panic and reactive approaches, allowing irrationality to rule because someone might be hurt.
I am not angry with these parents and officials. They are afraid. Their fear of what they can’t control in this world has allowed them the idea that if only they handicap their children with less knowledge, less REAL freedom, less opportunity for things to go out of control, then they can produce a good safe life. I feel sorry for them, for their kids, and for our community that suffers for the fear these so called adults have in their heart for what life brings.
We will never get anywhere until we can look at our neighbor with love rather than as a threat to those we love. We will never grow until we can examine the ideas of everyone and have the strength and freedom to follow and develop our own thoughts, dreams, life. To those who believe book burning and lies are the best way to educate, I am disappointed in your lack of faith in those you were supposed to raise. And, to those who believe that hate and oppression is the only response to different ideas, I say welcome to the 40’s. I guess we need to do the whole fascist thing, the whole civil rights thing, the whole love your neighbor thing over again. Maybe our grandchildren will get right what our generation has destroyed.
Hugs my friends;
randy
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Randy, you continue to amaze with your down-to-earth, sensible comments. You have a great outlook on life!
I especially liked the comments related to Fear. You nailed it!
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Hi Nan;
Thank you. Poor Scottie; with me temporarily unemployed, I’m allowing my fingers to go wild. I can’t tell you how many comments I’ve removed before hitting the post button. I don’t figure myself as some sort of wise person, and I feel foolish making comment that others already know. But, that point on fear is something that is really bothering me to no end.
Do you recall that Newsroom bit where Jeff Daniels is asked about America being the greatest country in the world? { https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z2HKbygLjJs&ab_channel=MikePhillips } One of the things that was said was “we didn’t scare so easily”. What angers me to no end, one of the things that I want trump nailed to a wall in our history, is his use of “fake news”. We have some character flaws that have destroyed our country: the infotainment aspect of our news shows, and the use of “facts” as a political tool. Who can we trust? What facts are actual facts rather than “alternative facts”? Good night, that was just a clarion call for the vultures, wasn’t it? That putz reigned over the destruction of our country’s information system. People – rightly all too often – doubt every word from the news desk. So, how are they supposed to react?
Ah well, I’d better stop. I am honored that by your comment. Thank you.
Hugs!
randy
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Hey Randy. Never fear to post your comments. You are far smarter than you give yourself credit for. And I enjoy your comments. Hugs
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