Parents, parishioners and residents press Canyon ISD over removal of Bibles from campus libraries

Lede: Five members of the public told the Canyon ISD Board of Trustees on Jan. 13 that copies of the Bible had been removed from campus libraries last semester and urged the board to publicly address the decision and consider discipline or contract conditions for Superintendent Dr. Flusche.

Nut graf: The remarks came during the meeting’s public-comment segment and focused on the same allegation: that district administration removed the full text of the Bible from school libraries, a move commenters said was not required by state law. Speakers pressed the board to place the matter on a future agenda and to explain why the books were removed and — according to one commenter — subsequently returned.

Body: Leah Davis told trustees she believed Dr. Flusche had quietly removed “the full text of the bridal” (Bible) from Canyon ISD libraries last semester, saying his stated rationale — that the material violated House Bill 900 — was incorrect and that the action had been taken without board notice. She urged the board to add the matter to a future agenda, to require a public explanation, and to consider conditioning the superintendent’s contract renewal on implementing board policy EFB(Local).

Regina Keeney, who identified herself as a Canyon ISD parent, said after contacting state lawmakers she learned the Texas Legislature did not require removal of the Bible under House Bill 900 and that Canyon ISD was, in her view, the only district that had removed it. Keeney told the board she had since been informed the Bible had been returned to school libraries and thanked the administration and several lawmakers she named for their assistance.

Other commenters echoed a religious and moral objection to the removal. Rick Lopez, Krista Erlbeck and Steve Erlbeck each framed their remarks in religious terms and asked trustees to restore biblical teaching and leadership. Several called for the superintendent or the district attorney to be held accountable if the removal had occurred without board direction.

Board response and outcome: Trustees did not take a formal vote at the meeting to add the item to a future agenda. Public commenters requested that trustees add an agenda item next month so Dr. Flusche could explain the decision in public and that trustees consider reprimand or contract conditions. Regina Keeney said the Bible was “back in our school libraries” during her remarks; that statement was presented as her account to the board during public comment.

Ending: The matter remained a public request rather than a board action at the Jan. 13 meeting. Several speakers asked trustees to place the item on a future agenda so the board could review how the decision was made and whether district procedures or policies were followed.