Tyler ISD school board seats for Districts 1, 3, and 6 will be up for election in May 2025. Current officeholders include R. Wade Washmon, Yvonne Atkins and Lindsey Harrison.

Tyler ISD has been working to review the books available in its campus libraries, but parents’ concerns are still at the forefront of the issue as they seek more transparency in the process.

Parents spent the public participation portion of Monday’s school board meeting expressing concerns toward the reading content their students can check out. Tyler ISD officials reminded parents this issue is being addressed.

One parent of a Tyler ISD student, Jennifer White, quoted a book that was recently removed in the library called “Lawn Boy.” After reading vulgar sentences she quoted as from book, which was recently removed, White requested transparency for the student book selection process.

“Some of the books have been removed, and it’s a start, there’s been no transparency in this process and no parental involvement in this process. Those things are necessary for public trust which y’all have lost a lot of,” she told the board.

White said giving parents access to library activity can assist them in different ways such as understanding issues going on with their child.

“Parents also need to be given easier access to review and notification of library activity of their children because even if the worst of sexual explicit material is removed, we still have the right to know and guide our children when using material in order to participate in their education,” White said. “For some children this may help parents identify needs for more mental health support or other issues going on that we don’t know about.”

She gave credit to Tyler ISD for the action it has taken so far but pleaded the district to allow parents to be involved in the process.

“I urge you all to continue the process that you began and get make it more transparent. Get parents involved. We want to be involved to ensure a safe library experience for our kids so that they truly grow a love of learning and reading for enjoyment, not for sexual arousment,” she said.

Another parent of a Tyler ISD student, Cody Grace, said although he doesn’t believe pedophilia is found in the libraries, the district should establish a direct plan of content moderation.

“I am concerned that there’s literary tools being pulled out of the library. For what I understand there’s not a policy of procedure on that. What I would like to ask is that we develop some sort of policy and procedure on content moderation within the school libraries just to prevent any sort of accusations,” he said. “Outside of that, I think y’all are doing an awesome job.”

After listening to parents speak, Marty Crawford, Tyler ISD Superintendent, reminded parents of what he said during the November meeting.

“We’ve read a statement at the Nov. 15 meeting in regards to the school district being aware of what’s going on,” Crawford said. “We have processes in place and we’re working on the things that were just discussed.”

In November, Crawford told meeting attendees the district is aware of the legislative committee and statewide inquiries concerning “appropriateness of library curriculum materials.”

“The board and district administration are in agreement with our community that resources, curriculum products and classroom instruction should be in alignment with local and public expectations,” he said, adding the Tyler ISD board policy outlines appropriate steps and campus practices for review of materials, reiterating both the district board and the district administration view this issue as crucial.

Crawford said in November the district administration had reached out to Texas Education Agency officials, discussed the issue with district principals and is advising strategies to review, and if determine, redirect or seize improper resources.

Resources seen as “developmentally, cognitively or socially inappropriate” are being reviewed, Crawford said.

“The district will continue to monitor selection and purchasing, and will respond appropriately,” Crawford said in November. “Ultimately as they do with their own children, this board and administration believes certain topics have no place in our schools and are fortunate to have parents to work with their children in sensitive extra curricular topics away from school.”

At Monday’s meeting, Board of Trustees President Wade Washmon assured parents and concerned parties that Crawford has the right to pull out vulgar materials from libraries. Crawford said this has always been a policy in Texas and is nothing new.

“We’ve done our job and we’re working on it right now,” Crawford said on Monday. “We need to calm the waters down a little bit so we can do our job.”

Washmon responded by saying, “I trust that you’re doing your job, we all do.”