'We’re coming for the books'
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said Wednesday he will push legislation to punish Texas public schools that fail to remove graphic books from their libraries, proposing a penalty that could lower a campus or district’s annual state performance rating by an entire letter grade.
Speaking at a news conference at the Texas Capitol, Patrick said schools have not done enough to comply with a law passed last year that shifted greater authority over library materials to local school boards.
“It’s the law and we expect you to follow the law. So we’re coming for the books,” Patrick said. “We ask that you do it on your own and remove these books.”
Patrick appeared alongside easels displaying enlarged covers of books he described as obscene. He said some of the titles remain available in Texas public schools despite containing sexually explicit material.
His proposal would attach potentially significant consequences to schools found with books that the state determines should have been removed. Patrick confirmed that a school could lose a full letter grade on its state accountability rating — dropping from an A to a B, for example — for having even one prohibited book on its library shelves.
The stakes extend beyond a school's report card. Texas uses its accountability system to identify chronically underperforming districts, and poor ratings can ultimately lead to state intervention or takeover.
Patrick says schools aren't following SB 13
At the center of Patrick’s criticism is Senate Bill 13, a 2025 law that gave school boards greater authority over which books are allowed in campus libraries.
The law allows boards to approve and remove books in response to challenges, including complaints from parents and activist organizations. Those decisions previously rested largely with school librarians.
But with the law approaching its first anniversary, Patrick said the overwhelming majority of Texas school boards have taken no action.
Texas has more than 9,000 public school campuses serving roughly 5.5 million students.
Patrick said the books displayed Wednesday were “so filthy, so dirty, so vulgar, so pornographic” that he would not open them during the news conference out of respect for the women in the room. He said some contained depictions of masturbation and graphic images of genitalia.
Patrick argued that more than 90% of parents and grandparents would not want children viewing the material he highlighted.
At the same time, he rejected the characterization of the effort as a book ban.
“There are no books banned in America. You can buy any book you want to buy if you want it,” Patrick said. “But we do not take taxpayer money and buy these books for our schools.”
A yearslong fight over books in Texas schools
Patrick’s proposal would mark another escalation in a yearslong political battle over what students can read in Texas public schools.
Republican lawmakers and conservative activists have pushed to remove books they say contain sexually explicit or otherwise inappropriate material for children. Those disputes have frequently involved books dealing with LGBTQ+ themes and race.
Librarians, free-expression advocates and childhood literacy groups have pushed back against broad restrictions. They have argued during legislative hearings and local school board battles that some challenged books give students an opportunity to read about experiences similar to their own — particularly students who may not have access to those books outside their school libraries.
The debate has increasingly shifted from individual book challenges at local schools to statewide rules governing how districts select and review library materials.
Patrick's latest proposal would add the state's accountability system to that fight.
