Every fall, the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas and its chapters raise awareness of censorship as part of national Banned Books Week (Sept. 26 - Oct. 3) with the release of the annual report, "Free People Read Freely."

The report provides information about books that have been banned, challenged or restricted in Texas schools during the previous school year.

This year’s report includes an interview with H.G. Bissinger, author of Friday Night Lights, the highly acclaimed book about high school football and its impact on the lives of students, players, and an entire town. The book was banned in all 30 of the Beaumont Independent School District libraries after being challenged for racism, sexual content, and profanity. Bissinger’s reaction can also be heard in an audio segment available here

This year’s Banned Books Report got a very high response rate of 70 percent from the more than 1200 school districts in Texas we queried about challenges to school library books. Findings show that fewer challenges resulted in restrictions this year.

• Stephenville, Houston and Irving independent school districts reported the most challenges for the 2008-2009 school year
• Although districts have so-called “reconsideration procedures,” once a book is banned from a school library, that ban is often permanent. Fifty-five percent of the school districts reported that all decisions are final.

“We would like to see school districts establish policies so that a ‘banned book’ may be considered for reinstatement. Too often books are banned because an individual or small, but organized group, doesn’t like a book’s content. That is tyranny by a vocal minority and there should be means for appeal,” said Dotty Griffith, Public Education Director of the ACLU of Texas.

Download the full report