Banned books made available at Houston event, organizers advocate for literary freedom in Texas
Banned books made available in Third Ward
Thousands of books banned in some schools across Texas were made available to the public for free. Two national organizations visited a Third Ward bookstore pushing for literary freedom in schools. FOX 26's Sherman Desselle breaks down the efforts made on the tour and in federal court.
HOUSTON - In a demonstration of literary freedom, thousands of books that had been banned in many school districts across the country and Texas were made accessible to the public free of charge. Two prominent national organizations visited Kindred Stories, a bookstore in the Third Ward neighborhood, fervently advocating for the importance of book choice in educational institutions.
The American Federation of Teachers along with The New Republic and African American Policy Forum said the purpose of this nationwide tour is to ensure students and school librarians have the freedom to teach and authors have the freedom to write.
Titles like "Their Eyes Were Watching God," "The 1619 Project," and "All Boys Aren't Blue" were among the books made available to the public for free. These books have faced bans in several states due to their themes, which touch on issues such as systemic racism, sexual or gender identity, and various forms of abuse.
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Renowned author and activist Renee Watson, whose own children and young adult books have faced bans, emphasized the importance of addressing this issue. She believes that not discussing it is a way of silencing entire communities and erasing critical aspects of history.
"Reading is a form of listening," Watson said. "The problem with banning books is that we're telling a whole generation of young people that it's okay to ignore other people's stories and not listen to them."
A recent study by Pen America revealed that Texas ranks second, only behind Florida, in terms of the most banned books, with a staggering 625 titles prohibited across 12 districts, including parts of the Houston area.
Texas House Bill 900, also known as the Reader Act, was approved in Austin earlier this year. This legislation requires school library vendors to rate all books before selling them to schools. It garnered substantial support from Governor Greg Abbott and its proponents, who argue that it safeguards children from sexually explicit material. However, a federal judge issued a temporary injunction, preventing the state from enforcing the law, at least for the time being.
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While some attendees of the book tour, who brought their children along, acknowledge the need for some level of censorship, they emphasize the importance of scrutinizing what is being restricted and understanding the motivations behind such actions.
Brittany Hyman of Houston pointed out, "What gives them the right to say what is good for everyone else? It reminds you that at one point, reading was illegal for me, and we know why. So if that's the future that we want, then keep doing what you're doing."
The ongoing lawsuit that resulted in the federal injunction of House Bill 900 was filed by the Blue Willow Bookstore in Houston, and its outcome remains pending.