Amid heated debate, the Katy ISD board weighed library policies that ban gender fluidity content, raising questions about redundancy, political motivations, and the role of academic priorities.
ofAdditionally, the revisions would enforce stricter guidelines for vendors and the handling of challenged resources, ensuring content is suitable and aligns with the district’s educational standards.
Trustee Dawn Champagne expressed concerns over the redundancy of a proposed policy aimed at banning books that promote gender fluidity. She pointed out that the district already has a policy in place that prohibits the use of such materials in classrooms and extracurricular activities.
Champagne said, “It just seems redundant to me because it’s what you have...So to me, it’s already in here, in a policy. So it seems redundant to add it again into another policy.”
In response, board president Victor Perez clarified the purpose of the new policy, explaining that the existing rules only applied to classroom and curriculum materials, not to libraries.
Perez said, “What this does is put that concept in here... It is for classroom and curriculum, instructional materials, etc., but not in terms of the libraries. So, this is what that accomplishes.”
Champagne acknowledged Perez’s explanation but continued to express concerns about the criteria used to review and retain or remove books, noting that more than twice as many books had been reviewed and retained than removed this school year.
Further discussions highlighted the increased scrutiny of library books.
Champagne noted a significant rise in the number of books removed under the current policy, saying, “If you go back to 2021, 2022, we only had 11 books removed, and we already have 16 books removed in one month.”
Champagne expressed concern about the ongoing discussions around book policies, indicating that the frequent revisions might be overwhelming, stating, “Seems like we keep talking about this a lot... But it just does seem to be a lot.”
Additionally, questions arose regarding the enforcement of these policies at book fairs. Champagne inquired about how the district would ensure vendors comply with the new guidelines.
In response, it was clarified that vendors would be informed of the district’s policy and required to adhere to it.
Trustee Lance Redmon addressed the ongoing debate surrounding the labeling of books related to gender fluidity. He highlighted that there currently isn’t a specific label or tag for such content in school libraries, stating, “There isn’t a label or like a tag for gender fluidity that will be on those books. So each of these books, so material in elementary, junior high, or those have to be challenged then at that point for them to be removed.”
Redmon also raised concerns about the procedural aspects, questioning whether librarians would be expected to reread all the books to identify those that should be removed or placed on a parental opt-in list. Perez clarified that the process for identifying and removing books with gender fluidity content would follow the same policy and procedures already in place for dealing with sexually explicit or harmful material.
Perez assured that “The process that the district is going through on those books, they would go through the same process on these books.”
Next, a discussion arose about the premature release of policy documents on social media. Champagne and Trustee Rebecca Fox questioned Perez about why his wife shared details of the meeting’s discussion on social media days before the information was made public.
Although Katy ISD agendas are posted on Fridays, specific topics like the gender fluidity book ban weren’t publicly available until the day of the meeting, yet Perez’s wife had already posted about it in local Facebook groups.
Champagne remarked, “If anyone else would have done that, I mean, their head would have been on a platter.” Perez explained that it was a misunderstanding and that the policy committee intended to make the documents public but acknowledged that “it wasn’t any plan in the intention.”
Champagne further requested that the board be informed in the future before such actions, saying, “Please let us know so that we can be prepared for closure.”
Fox raised concerns about the transparency and decision-making process related to book removals, asking, “Who’s on the committee? How are books removed? What kinds of criteria are there?”
She also questioned whether the policy committee had thoroughly reviewed the policies and whether the focus could shift back to academics, stating, “Can we be done with library books? Can we move on to academics?”
Fox expressed frustration over the prolonged focus on library book policies, reflecting on past decisions regarding gender fluidity issues, and urging the board to redirect their efforts toward educational matters, asking, “Are we done? Have you looked through it all?”
Trustee Mary Ellen Cuzela emphasized her commitment to child protection, stating, “I will never be done with protecting children,” and that she will continue working on policies to further safeguard students. However, Fox expressed concerns that the ongoing focus on library book policies, which have stirred controversy for years, was politically motivated—especially given the current political climate.
Perez countered, asserting that the issue is not political, but rather about ensuring that inappropriate materials are removed from school libraries. He also commended the administration for their efforts in auditing the library collections to ensure compliance with board-approved policies.
Fox suggested that an external audit could be conducted to alleviate the burden on librarians, questioning why it had not been done if the issue was deemed so important.
Perez mentioned that, while the district is addressing the issue of library book audits internally, it has not engaged external auditors. Cuzela added that external auditors were considered, but both the district and the policy committee concluded that they did not meet the standards of what the district could accomplish on its own.
A debate erupted over whether the ongoing discussions about the district’s book policy had become overly politicized, particularly surrounding books involving gender fluidity and the protection of children.
Cuzela questioned Fox’s assertion that the issue was political, asking, “Are you saying that it’s political to protect children?”
Fox clarified, “Absolutely not,” but went on to explain that the topic of library books had become a “hot political topic” over the past three years, exacerbated by public discussions on social media.
Champagne added to the conversation, arguing that the issue had been politicized because it was part of the board members’ campaign agendas. “To me, when you campaign, that is a political thing,” she said, reinforcing the idea that the topic had been framed politically from the start.
Despite the disagreement, Cuzela emphasized the shared goal, asking, “Would you like to join us in protecting children?” to which Fox responded, “I do protect children.”
Fox expressed frustration over the prolonged focus on library books rather than issues that directly impact student learning and success. She noted that despite the repeated discussions on library books, “moms and dads at home want us to strengthen the academics for our students.”
Fox emphasized that while library books are important, the board’s attention should shift toward providing more opportunities for student success and preparing them for the future. She concluded by pointing out that “13 items on the agenda tonight” were unrelated to academics, highlighting a need to refocus on educational priorities.
This board meeting was a work-study session where no votes were taken, and the next regular board meeting is scheduled for Aug. 26.