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Community speakers urge Pasadena ISD to remove books they call pornographic and profane; trustees request list for review
Summary
Four public commenters presented alleged examples of pornographic or profane books in school libraries and urged the board for immediate removal; trustees and the superintendent said they will review submitted lists and work collaboratively with the community.
Four members of the public addressed the board during the March meeting to urge removal of books they described as pornographic or profane from Pasadena ISD campus libraries and digital collections. They asked the board to prioritize the issue and cited state actions and legal references in support of removal.
Pastor Nick Caviness told trustees he met district staff in June to raise concerns about triggering material in the district’s digital catalog and said a recent 20‑minute search found 43 additional books he considered pornographic or profane. He asked the board to make removal a top priority and referenced SB 900 as supporting district action. "Make this priority 1 to pull the materials," he said.
Sabrina Martinez, who identified herself as a Pasadena native and former PISD student, told trustees she encountered harmful material in school libraries as a youth and described personal harm from early exposure. "I stand here today called and ready to protect the next generation," she said.
Pastor (Mr.) Vega said the group had previously supplied a list of titles to district staff and asked the board to act immediately; he referenced the 1982 U.S. Supreme Court case Pico (Board of Education v. Pico) and said some books on the district’s shelves are banned in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. He urged collaboration but pressed for prompt removal of items the group considers inappropriate.
David Stokely, who said he had previously been incarcerated in TDC and is the father of five, read a short excerpt from one book to illustrate his concern and said: "If my child came home and said, 'Today at story time my teacher read this book,' you would have a major problem on your hands."
Superintendent Dean Powell (Dr. Dean Powell) responded in the meeting that district staff had been addressing a list of titles that circulated statewide and asked the speakers to provide the books’ list to the district. Powell said district staff and publishers sometimes include materials that require review against community standards and invited continued collaboration. "We do take it serious... I do want the list," Powell said.
Trustees repeatedly told the speakers they wanted the list of titles so staff could review and act. The board’s public comment procedures and applicable policies were read at the start of the public‑comment portion of the meeting.
No formal board action or vote to remove specific titles occurred during the meeting. Trustees instructed staff to accept the list and continue the review process.
