A committee of community volunteers, parents and district staff completed its review of high school book club titles, with district leaders opting to uphold the previous decision on 11 books that were suspended from the optional curriculum and classroom libraries. Five previously pulled titles were returned to the list of reading options. All titles are still available in school libraries and digital libraries.

The following books will not be accessible for use in high school student choice book clubs or classroom libraries.  

  • Brave Face: A Memoir by Shaun David Hutchinson (English IV)
  • The Handmaid’s Tale: The Graphic Novel by Margaret Atwood and Renee Nault (English III)
  • In the Dream House: A Memoir by Carmen Maria Machado (English IV)
  • None of the Above by I.W. Gregorio (English I)
  • The Nowhere Girls by Amy Lynn Reed (English IV)
  • Out of Darkness by Ashley Hope Perez (English I)
  • Red at the Bone by Jacqueline Woodson (English III)
  • Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery” The Authorized Graphic Adaptation by Myles Hyman (English II)
  • Shout by Laurie Halse Anderson (English II)
  • V is for Vendetta by Alan Moore (English III)
  • Y: The Last Man Book One by Brian K. Vaughan (English III) 

The following books have been reinstated and will be accessible for use in high school book clubs and may also be found in classroom libraries.

  • American Street by Ibi Zoboi (English II)
  • The Book of Unknown Americans by Cristina Henriquez (English II)
  • Kiss Number 8 by Coleen AF Venable and Ellen T. Crenshaw (English II)
  • Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me by Mariko Tamaki (English II)
  • Ordinary Hazards: A Memoir by Nikki Grimes (English IV)

The following titles are currently in use in classrooms but were reviewed in Cycle 9 based on concerns communicated at Board meetings and other channels. Based on review, these titles will remain as choices in book clubs and may also be found in classroom libraries.

  • Know My Name: A Memoir by Chanel Miller (English IV)
  • Speak: The Graphic Novel by Laurie Halse Anderson (English II)
  • What We Saw by Aaron Hartzler (English I)

Through nine review cycles, the district’s Community Curriculum Advisory Committee (CCAC) carefully considered title selections for English I-IV. The student-led book clubs offer multiple choices for our students to learn, analyze, collaborate and reflect on subjects and authors of their choosing. This experience is especially meaningful when families partner with their students to make choices.  

The year-long review process was part of a response to community concerns about reading materials in our English/Language Arts curriculum. Our intention will continue to be encouraging independent reading by offering choices that encompass a variety of topics, voices and cultures in accordance with our collective community’s vision for our public schools.

English 1-4 classes offer two book club units per grade level, approximately 8-10 days of instruction, to encourage reading and to create thoughtful discussion between students. Through our instructional materials adoption process, teachers and community members vetted various vendors and selected themes for those book clubs in alignment with the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS). The district will continue to offer books by authors of various backgrounds and with various perspectives so students can see themselves in their reading.