Houston father upset over removal of children's book featuring same-sex parents

Spring Branch upset father after his book is pulled from school shelves

FOX 26 Reporter Sherman Desselle spoke with the father about what happened.

SPRING BRANCH, Texas - A Houston father is expressing frustration after his children’s book was removed from shelves in the Spring Branch Independent School District (ISD).

Michael Pearce's book, "The Goosefairy and the Golden Egg," which includes illustrations of children with two dads, was reportedly taken down following a complaint from a parent.

In an exclusive interview, Pearce stated he wrote the book to represent families like his own within the district.

"I'm going to speak up. This is stupid," he said. "There are a lot of other things you can be angry about. Me reading a book to my daughter is not one of them."

Published in 2016, "The Goosefairy and the Golden Egg" focuses on themes of friendship and problem-solving.

It was initially well-received at Hunters Creek Elementary, where Pearce's children attended. However, after a recent complaint about its content, Pearce was informed that a staff member from the district showed up to Hunters Creek and pulled the book from circulation.

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Pearce emphasized the personal nature of the book, sharing moments of everyday family life depicted within its pages.

"There are pictures of my daughter running home... I'm brushing her hair, and we're reading a book to her... it's the same things any other family would do," he said.

In 2023, the Spring Branch ISD board voted to allow board members to make decisions about book removals without input from teachers and librarians. This change has drawn mixed reactions, with some arguing it protects children from mature content, while others see it as a form of censorship.

"You're erasing my husband, my daughter, and me," Pearce said. "Whoever did this, if you're angry that there are gay families out there, you're going to have a very unhappy life."

As of now, Pearce has not received a response from the school district regarding the matter. He stated that he does not wish for his book to be reinstated, but hopes it will spark a broader discussion about acceptance and representation of diverse families.

FOX 26 has reached out to Spring Branch ISD for comment on the book's removal and the district's policies, but has not received a response.