Over 100 Books Have Been Challenged in Eanes, Texas, Since March 20

Eanes Kids First is a “parents rights” group that has developed a thorough collection of books deemed inappropriate, noting not only where those books are in the district but the “issues” within them. Among the reasons the books are a problem? LGBTQ topics, race and diversity topics, and stories tackling mental health. For groups like this claiming that these book challenges are simply about obscenity and vulgarity, the transparency in these lists for why the books are problematic says otherwise. It’s a blatant attack on marginalized people and stories.

Eanes ISD published the slate of book challenges on their website in late April, including the titles, challenger, date, and status of each title, affording transparency to the entire process. Book challengers, who have demanded transparency about the materials being used and available in schools, were appalled by the district’s decision to give them just that.

At the most recent school board meeting, Aaron Silva, partner of one of the book challengers named, used his three minutes during the open comment (beginning at 1:57) to bash the board’s decision to do this. He called it a failure of the board to make such a decision “at the worst possible time.” In the next breath, Silva emphasizes how he and others have demanded clear, transparent communication. He claims parents with good reputations have been strung up and fed to social media over this decision–apparently ignoring the same behaviors advocated for and promoted within the Eanes Kids First/Moms For Liberty groups. Silva is the founder and spearheads the Eanes Parents United podcast, which, according to Franklin Strong’s documentation, “while Eanes Kids First sponsors the podcast, “EKF has absolutely no editorial input into my podcast.  It is me and me only.  The podcast is not an organ for their views and if there are similarities it is only coincidental.”

Further conversation in both Facebook groups called the board’s decision “doxxing” and that “damage done to our community is difficult to measure, but one thing is for sure, that their idea of “TRANSPARENCY” has only proven that they are ALL truly lacking strong leadership skills.”

At the same board meeting, an attendee held up an image from Gender Queer from the audience in support of the small number of parents who showed up to complain about or read from library books. No library in the district owns Gender Queer.

Because of the small size of the district, staff are now being stretched thin with book challenges. Sitting through 120 reconsideration meetings means staff are unable to do their jobs and serve their students and educators. The cost of this to tax payers is enormous and the cost to staff in time, money, energy, and distress is significant. As the books being challenged are the same ones being challenged nationwide–titles that are popular and accessible in a large number of school libraries because they’re well-reviewed and meet community needs and interests–it’s clear the effort on the part of those challenging isn’t about the books but about creating discord.

Eanes Kids First/Moms For Liberty Travis County have furthered their push for conservative candidates in the district’s election, which began last election. They’ve thrown their advocacy behind Jay Lamy and Jim Withers, who has sent robocall messages to registered voters paid for by the Republican National Committee, according to the message itself. Despite the endorsement and funding from the Republican National Committee, Withers claims he’ll keep politics out of the classroom to unite the community.