AUSTIN, Texas – The Texas legislature passed Senate Bill 13 on Saturday, a bill that would ban broad categories of books in public school libraries and put school boards, instead of trained librarians, in charge of determining which books students can access.
The library review councils established by the bill are not required to include librarians, teachers, or literary experts — meaning people with no relevant qualifications would make important decisions about students' access to information. The bill will now be sent to the governor and is expected to be signed into law.
The following quote can be attributed to Caro Achar (she/her), engagement coordinator for free speech at the ACLU of Texas:
“S.B. 13 is unnecessary, unconstitutional, and unworkable. The bill severely limits students’ access to educational materials that they rely on to learn about themselves and the world around them — putting students at a disadvantage to pursue the lives and careers they want. It undermines the expertise of librarians and empowers a small group of unqualified individuals to help control what all students can read. Lastly, S.B. 13 would also delay or block the purchase of new books — leaving school libraries outdated, incomplete, and unable to meet students’ learning needs. Young people deserve access to the information they need to learn, grow, and thrive.”
