The Law Is Not Meant To Be Used This Way…

Rep. Matt Krause, Republican state lawmaker and state attorney general candidate, has launched an investigation into Texas school districts over the type of books they have, particularly if they pertain to race or sexuality.https://t.co/OxoCZTe0Bc

— Texas Tribune (@TexasTribune) October 26, 2021

...except it is meant to be used this way. in fact, this is the only way it's meant to be used.

Tl;dr:  Krause is running for AG to the right of Paxton, and he needs some street cred since nobody's ever heard of him.  This is, as Texas State Teachers Association President Ovidia Molina said, a “witch hunt” because nothing in state law gives the Lege or members thereof the authority to go after schools (which are separate governmental entities under state law).

Jim Walsh, an attorney, who often represents school districts, pointed out there is nothing in the law that says books must be removed and Krause’s investigation also doesn’t call for books to be removed. For now, it’s up to school districts to decide how they will respond, but what’s certain is that it will add more workload to Texas schools that are already struggling from the effects of the pandemic.

But there'll be a hue and cry in some districts by a distinct and LOUD minority to both find these evil books and to remove them from the shelves, burn them on the school grounds, and remove all district personnel responsible by hanging of firing squad.

You think I'm kidding.  One of the stories that hasn't made national, or even statewide, news is a book in an elementary school library that was complained about, removed and reviewed, and deemed "inappropriate" for that age of students.  It was removed, all according to Hoyle and due process.  But a vocal minority now wants the principal's head (and her job) because she "allowed" it to be on the shelf.  It's not an effort that's going anywhere, but don't schools have enough to worry about without this shit?

Krause's letter provides a 16-page list of about 850 book titles and asks the districts if they have these books, how many copies they have and how much money they spent on the books.

Hopefully that can be treated as an Public Information  request, because if it is the districts can calculate the cost of compliance and present him with a bill before proceeding further.  That would be my first advice to a school district if I were their counsel, anyway.  Searching an entire district for these books, number of copies, and costs?  Especially since that list only starts his inquiry; it doesn't end it:

Please identify any other books or content in your District, specifying the campus location and funds spent on acquisition, that address or contain the following topics: human sexuality, sexually transmitted diseases, or human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), sexually explicit images, graphic presentations of sexual behavior that is in violation of the law, or contain material that might make students feel discomfort, guilt, anguish, or any other form of psychological distress because of their race or sex or convey that a student, by virtue of their race or sex, is inherently racist, sexist, or oppressive, whether consciously or unconsciously.

Hell, I'd send that back asking for clarification.  It's so vague and indefinite it's impossible to comply with.  If you can get that cleared up (pro tip:  you can't; he's not THAT serious), then move on to costs, which have soared astronomically in this paragraph.  How would you even write the search parameters of a database for that?

This guy is a clown.  Worst part is, the people he'll rile up about it.  School administrators need that like they need a new coronavirus outbreak.

You know, when you're fighting your own state government, and you are the state government....

Where do I report Texas for making me ashamed of my gender and race

— TryingToHelpHat (@Popehat) October 27, 2021

You and me both, brother....