Katy ISD community calls for transgender, banned book policy changes under new leadership
The Brief
The former Katy ISD Board of Trustees president was ousted in the May 3 election.
The change in leadership prompted community calls for policy retractions on book bans and transgender issues.
A Republican strategist defended the district's content filtering policies, questioning why similar standards aren't applied to library books.
KATY, Texas - Victor Perez, former president of the Katy ISD Board of Trustees, lost his seat in the May 3 election. The community is now urging the new board to reconsider the district's book banning and transgender student policies.
The backstory
In 2023, Katy ISD trustees approved a controversial policy for transgender kids, outlining teachers' roles, parental rights, and which bathroom students are allowed to use at school.
Perez said at the time of the policy's conception that it did not aim to target anyone's sexual orientation or gender identity, and added that it's not the district's goal to pry into students' private conversations with staff.
In recent years, the board expanded review terms for the removal of books from campus libraries. Questions from concerned members of the community were left unanswered by Perez and the board.
What we know
Perez is no longer serving on the Katy ISD Board of Trustees following his defeat in the recent election. His removal has sparked discussions among community members, with many advocating for changes to the district's current policies on book bans and transgender issues.
What they're saying
Republican strategist Bobby Eberle expressed concern over the proposed changes.
"I hope not. I think what's been enacted is very good," Eberle said. "You go to any school, and I almost guarantee you (anyone) in Katy ISD that wants access to the internet goes through a content filter. They filter out content for age appropriateness, so why is it okay to do that on the internet but not for books? I would like to see someone justify that. If you can filter out content to make it safe for children, then the library should be the same."
Eberle also said it's a growing trend happening around the state.
"It was shocking, but it was also a trend statewide. Even though this new person modeled himself as a republican. The conservatives really took a beating around the state," Eberle said. "The Katy ISD board are not in the classroom. They're not teaching children."
"So their job is to administer. They look after the budget, and they put in policies that both, in this case, protect children and empower parents," he continued.
The other side
Perez posted a statement to his Facebook page, highlighting his accomplishments and thanking his fellow board members. In part, the statement says:
"The level of ugliness spewed on social media is out of control. It's a darkness, a cancer. Constructive debate and differing opinions are vital to a healthy democracy, but personal vilification serves no one and discourages good people from running for school board."
The district released the following statement on the matter:
"The school district does not comment on election outcomes or individual Board members. Policy decisions are determined by the Board of Trustees, and any related matters are addressed through the Board's established governance processes."
The Source
Information in this article came from Republican strategist Bobby Eberle and Victor Perez' public Facebook page.
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