Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick proposes penalties for schools that keep “vulgar” books on library shelves

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick announced a plan Wednesday to penalize Texas public schools that keep "vulgar" books on library shelves. He proposed lowering their state performance ratings and vowed to pass legislation specifically punishing schools that do not remove such books. Patrick stated school boards and administrators have not followed a 2025 law aimed at weeding out "lewd books" from shelves. This law impacts Texas' more than 9,000 campuses, attended by some 5.5 million schoolchildren statewide. During a news conference at the Texas Capitol, Patrick declared, "It's the law and we expect you to follow the law. So we're coming for the books."

This proposal directly affects every public school in Lubbock, including schools around Texas Tech and in neighborhoods like Tech Terrace, as well as districts across the South Plains. If schools do not comply, the state could utilize these annual ratings to potentially seize control of districts deemed underperforming. This means local schools could face significant consequences if they fail to remove books. Flanked by easels displaying printed covers of books he found obscene, Patrick emphasized, "We ask that you do it on your own and remove these books."