Why 81 books are under review in New Braunfels ISD

SAN ANTONIO – Students in the New Braunfels Independent School District can once again check out books from their school libraries after a temporary closure last week.

The district shut down all campus libraries to review its catalog of materials for compliance with Senate Bill 13, a state law that gives parents more access to what their children read and requires districts to establish a review process for library content.

New Braunfels ISD identified 81 titles for closer review, including “The Handmaid’s Tale,” “Game of Thrones” and “The Color Purple.” Many of the titles contain themes related to sexual content, violence, drug use or profanity.

Under the district’s review process, the first step is to compile a list of books that may include content considered harmful under state law. A library advisory committee then reviews each title and categorizes it.

Parents are allowed to challenge any book during the review, and the school board makes the final decision on whether to keep or remove a title based on the committee’s recommendations.

The district says new library materials will also be subject to the same review process before being added to school collections.

According to state guidelines, books under review must be posted on the district’s website for at least 30 days before the school board can make a final decision.

See below for a full list of 81 titles under review, according to the district’s website.

• LCHS — “A Clash of Kings” — George R.R. Martin — SB13 Non-compliant
• NBHS/LCHS — “A Clockwork Orange” — Anthony Burgess — SB13 Non-compliant
• NBHS/LCHS — “A Feast of Crows” — George R.R. Martin — SB13 Non-compliant
• LCHS — “A Game of Thrones” — George R.R. Martin — SB13 Non-compliant
• NBHS — “After” — Amy Efaw — Under SB13 Review
• NBHS — “All Boys Aren’t Blue” — George M. Johnson — SB13 Non-compliant
• NBHS/LCHS — “Always Running: La Vida Loca: gang days in LA” — Luis J. Rodriguez — Under SB13 Review
• LCHS — “As She Fades” — Abbi Glines — Under SB13 Review
• NBHS — “Black Rabbit Summer” — Kevin Brooks — Under SB13 Review
• LCHS — “Blood & Honey” — Shelby Mahurin — Under SB13 Review
• LCHS — “Boy Toy” — Barry Lyga — Under SB13 Review
• LCHS/NBHS — “Brave Face: A Memoir” — Shaun David Hutchinson — Under SB13 Review
• LCHS — “Breathless” — Jennifer Niven — Under SB13 Review
• LCHS — “Combat Zone” — Patrick Jones — Under SB13 Review
• NBHS/LCHS — “Crank” — Ellen Hopkins — SB13 Non-compliant
• LCHS — “Crush” — Carrie Mac — Under SB13 Review
• NBHS — “Culpa Mia” — Mercedes Ron — Under SB13 Review
• NBHS — “Culpa Nuestra” — Mercedes Ron — Under SB13 Review
• NBHS — “Culpa Tuya” — Mercedes Ron — Under SB13 Review
• NBHS — “Damsel” — Elana K. Arnold — Under SB13 Review
• NBHS/LCHS — “Did I Mention I Need You?” — Estelle Maskame — Under SB13 Review
• LCHS — “Dime” — E. R. Frank — Under SB13 Review
• NBHS/LCHS — “Empire of Storms” — Sarah J. Maas — Under SB13 Review
• NBHS — “Fancy White Trash” — Marjetta Geerling — Under SB13 Review
• LCHS — “Far From You” — Tess Sharpe — Under SB13 Review
• LCHS/NBHS — “Flamer” — Mike Curato — Under SB13 Review
• LCHS/NBMS — “Forever” — Judy Blume — Under SB13 Review
• LCHS/NBHS — “Gabi, a Girl in Pieces” — Isabel Quintero — Under SB13 Review
• LCHS — “Golden boy : a novel” — Abigail Tarttein — Under SB13 Review
• LCHS — “Grasshopper Jungle: A History” — Andrew Smith — Under SB13 Review
• LCHS — “I Never” — Laura Hopper — SB13 Non-compliant
• NBHS/LCHS — “Identical” — Ellen Hopkins — Under SB13 Review
• LCHS — “Infandous” — Elana K. Arnold — Under SB13 Review
• LCHS — “Jaya and Rasa” — Sonia Patel — Under SB13 Review
• LCHS/NBHS — “Juliet Takes a Breath” — Gabby Rivera — Under SB13 Review
• NBHS/LCHS — “Kingdom of Ash” — Sarah J. Maas — Under SB13 Review
• NBHS/LCHS — “Kingdom of the Wicked” — Kerri Maniscalco — Under SB13 Review
• NBHS/ORMS — “Kiss Number 8” — Colleen A.F. Venable — Under SB13 Review
• LCHS — “Life Is Funny” — E. R. Frank — Under SB13 Review
• NBHS — “Living Dead Girl” — Elizabeth Scott — Under SB13 Review
• LCHS — “Look Past” — Eric Devine — Under SB13 Review
• LCHS — “Me and Earl and the Dying Girl” — Jesse Andrews — Under SB13 Review
• LCHS — “Meet Cute” — Jennifer Armentrout — Under SB13 Review
• LCHS — “Miles Away From You” — A.B. Rutledge — Under SB13 Review
• NBHS — “Milk and Honey” — Rupi Kaur — SB13 Non-compliant
• LCHS — “Normal People” — Sally Rooney — Under SB13 Review
• LCHS/NBHS — “Out of Darkness” — Ashley Hope Perez — SB13 Non-compliant
• LCHS — “Perfect” — Ellen Hopkins — Under SB13 Review
• LCHS/NBMS — “Proxy” — Alex London — Under SB13 Review
• LCHS — “Red Hood” — Elana K. Arnold — Under SB13 Review
• NBHS — “Red, White & Royal Blue” — Casey McQuiston — Under SB13 Review
• NBHS — “Running With Scissors” — Augusten Burroughs — Under SB13 Review
• NBHS — “Safe Sex 101: an overview for teens” — Margaret O. Hyde — Under SB13 Review
• LCHS — “Serpent & Dove” — Shelby Mahurin — Under SB13 Review
• LCHS — “Shine” — Lauren Myracle — Under SB13 Review
• LCHS/NBMS/ORMS — “Shout” — Laurie Halse Anderson — Under SB13 Review
• NBHS/LCHS — “Sold” — Patricia McCormick — Under SB13 Review
• LCHS — “Stick” — Andrew Smith — Under SB13 Review
• LCHS — “Suicide Notes from Beautiful Girls” — Lynn Weingarten — Under SB13 Review
• NBHS/LCHS — “The Bluest Eye” — Toni Morrison — Under SB13 Review
• NBHS/LCHS — “The Carnival at Bray” — Jessie Ann Foley — Under SB13 Review
• NBHS/LCHS — “The Color Purple” — Alice Walker — Under SB13 Review
• LCHS — “The Duff” — Kody Keplinger — Under SB13 Review
• LCHS/NBMS/ORMS — “The Girls I’ve Been” — Tess Sharpe — Under SB13 Review
• NBHS/LCHS — “The Handmaid’s Tale” — Margaret Atwood — Under SB13 Review
• NBHS/LCHS — “The Haters” — Jesse Andrews — Under SB13 Review
• LCHS — “The Infinite Moment of Us” — Lauren Myracle — Under SB13 Review
• NBHS/LCHS — “The Kite Runner” — Khaled Hosseini — Under SB13 Review
• NBHS/LCHS — “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” — Stephen Chbosky — Under SB13 Review
• LCHS — “The Sin Eater’s Confession” — Ilsa Bick — SB13 Non-compliant
• NBHS — “The You I’ve Never Known” — Ellen Hopkins — Under SB13 Review
• NBHS — “This One Summer” — Mariko Tamaki — SB13 Non-compliant
• NBHS/LCHS — “Tilt” — Ellen Hopkins — Under SB13 Review
• LCHS — “Tricks” — Ellen Hopkins — Under SB13 Review
• LCHS — “Unpregnant” — Jenni Hendriks — Under SB13 Review
• LCHS/NBHS — “We Are the Ants” — Shaun David Hutchinson — Under SB13 Review
• LCHS — “What Girls Are Made Of” — Elana K. Arnold — Under SB13 Review
• LCHS — “White Rabbit” — Caleb Roehrig — Under SB13 Review
• NBHS — “Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West” — Gregory Maguire — Under SB13 Review
• LCHS/NBHS — “Will Grayson, Will Grayson” — John Green — Under SB13 Review
• LCHS — “YOLO” — Lauren Myracle — Under SB13 Review

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