Texas school removes dozens of books, including Bible, Anne Frank adaptation, for review

A school district near Fort Worth, Texas is having staff remove and review dozens of books that were challenged last year, including the Bible and a graphic adaptation of Anne Frank's diary.

Ahead of the 2022 school year, the Keller Independent School District sent out an email asking for staff and librarians to pull 41 previously challenged books from libraries and classrooms. School faculty will review to ensure they follow the district's new materials curriculum that was adopted earlier this month.

The policy prohibits "instructional materials that are pervasively vulgar, obscene, or adopt, support or promote subject matter that has been prohibited by law" or the district. Any parent, employee, district resident or student over the age of 18 may challenge instructional materials. 

"Books that meet the new guidelines will be returned to the libraries as soon as it is confirmed they comply with the new policy," the Keller ISD administration stated after the Texas Tribune reported on the school's initial email.

Other controversial books to be reviewed include The Bluest Eye by Pulitzer Prize winning author Toni Morrison, Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews, Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur and Anne Frank's Diary (The Graphic Adaption) by Ari Folman and David Polonsky. The Bible will also be reviewed after being challenged twice last year by parents.