"Library Materials with links to prohibited content must be removed from campus library and classroom collections to remain in compliance with Senate Bill 12 and Senate Bill 13. Signed into law by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) in 2023, S.B. 12 bans Texas schools from teaching about gender identity and sexual orientation; developing policies or training about diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI); and considering diversity in hiring decisions."
"The Katy Independent School District pulled 142 LGBTQ+-themed books in the first month of 2026, according to the Houston Chronicle, citing a public records request from the Texas Freedom to Read Project. A list of the books appears on a district webpage devoted to instructional resources that have been removed from school libraries and classrooms since 2021, and includes titles like Alice Oseman's Heartstopper, Jazz Jennings's memoir Being Jazz: My Life as a (Transgender) Teen, and dozens of others spanning fiction and nonfiction books that deal with LGBTQ+ history, civil rights, and teen health."
"S.B. 13, meanwhile, requires school districts to establish their own acquisition and review policies for library materials. It also includes a blanket ban on titles featuring indecent content or profane content, and allows anyone in the district to formally challenge library materials."
Katy Independent School District in Texas removed 142 LGBTQ+-themed books from library and classroom shelves in January 2026 alone, continuing a pattern of removals since 2021. The district cites compliance with Senate Bill 12 and Senate Bill 13, both signed into law by Governor Greg Abbott in 2023. S.B. 12 prohibits teaching about gender identity and sexual orientation, while S.B. 13 requires districts to establish material review policies and bans content deemed indecent or profane. Removed titles include Alice Oseman's Heartstopper and Jazz Jennings's memoir Being Jazz. The district specifically targets books containing weblinks to support organizations and advocacy groups, classifying these resources as prohibited materials that necessitate removal.
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