FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 22, 2023
CONTACT: Emily Witt (she/hers), [email protected]
AUSTIN, Texas – The House Committee on Public Education spent six hours Tuesday night hearing a bill that would completely ban or restrict materials in public school libraries by creating a vague and undefined rating system with multiple levels of review by several state agencies.
Carisa Lopez (she/hers), political director for the Texas Freedom Network had the following response:
“HB 900 puts our children and families at an incredible disadvantage to be victims of discrimination. Parents and educators want students to see themselves represented at school, have access to equitable resources, and have a safe learning environment where they can thrive as their true selves. Irresponsible calls to censor books because they don’t align with certain individuals’ personal views is a misguided use of political power. We trust our local neighborhood schools and believe the families in each local district should have a final say about what is best for their child. There is no need for politicians to overstep into this process.”
Testimony on HB 900 lasted more than six hours, ending past midnight on Tuesday. It remains in the House Committee.
