Book Banning in GCISD
The campaign against CRT has led to book banning. While we believe that parents have a right to be made aware of books that high school students might read with explicit content, some parents want to make decisions for all parents by banning books that have been approved by Texas Education Agency and vetted by librarians and teachers. This is unacceptable.
- Parents already had the right in Texas to opt THEIR children out of assignments.
- The district already had a process in place to review books when a formal complaint is made. Not a single formal complaint was made in GCISD until a school board candidate stated this fact, many months after the vitriol started at board meetings.
- Removing books from the library can violate students' First Amendment rights according to a 1982 Supreme Court decision.
- Some of the books parents have complained about are covered on the AP exam.
- GCISD now requires the unqualified board to approve all books and book purchases (not librarians), slowing down the process unnecessarily.
- There were many books removed from libraries and 'parental consent' areas created in secondary schools that require parents to opt-in in order for children to access those books.
Teacher Dissatisfaction & Resignations in GCISD
When extremists take over school boards, teachers flee. GCISD has lost huge amounts of human capital in the last few years. Teachers and administrators with vast experience and institutional knowledge are being replaced by new teachers and staff at an alarming rate. One of the high schools was not able to find a librarian for the entirety of the 2022-23 school year.
In the 2023 GCISD Gallup Engagement Survey, there were literally hundreds of teacher & staff comments about the harm the school board majority has done.
In the 2023 GCISD Gallup Engagement Survey, there were literally hundreds of teacher & staff comments about the harm the school board majority has done.
As of Spring 2024:
About 600 teachers & staff have left
About 160 positions have been cut
About 600 teachers & staff have left
About 160 positions have been cut
The 2023 NBC podcast called Grapevine highlights the heartbreaking story of one teacher that was victimized by the community.
Social Emotional Learning & Inclusion
Those who claim CRT is in K-12 education are trying to make things that are widely supported by the corporate world (diversity, equity, and inclusion) sound evil. CRT is being redefined to include anything to do with SEL, diversity, inclusion, and sexual orientation. Those who warn about CRT do not want to do anything about racism and injustice.