Over the past year, Texas has garnered national attention over its book-ban controversy. In various school districts throughout the state, parents have complained about the available literature for students, particularly books that depict race, gender, sexuality, and supposed anti-American sentiment issues.
One such book is Michelle Obama: Political Icon—a 2020 biography on the former first lady written by Heather E. Schwartz. Specifically, one parent from Katy, Texas—a suburb of Houston—pin-pointed the book because of its alleged "unfair" depiction of Donald Trump and the Republican Party, who are supposedly portrayed as "bullies" within the biography.
Additionally, the parent also complained that Michelle Obama: Political Icon was a "Leftist indoctrination" that promoted "reverse racism" and sent readers the message that "if you sound like a white girl, you should be ashamed of yourself."
Here's the form a Katy ISD parent filled out asking to ban a children's biography of Michelle Obama at all grade levels, arguing it promotes "reverse racism" and depicts Trump as "a bully." (The school district reviewed the book and deemed it appropriate to remain on shelves) pic.twitter.com/WHKsbx6D22
— Mike Hixenbaugh (@Mike_Hixenbaugh) February 3, 2022
The author said she was "shocked" and shut down the allegations in response to this criticism.
"There's really not much you can object to in a book like this—and then somebody found something to object to," Schwartz stated. "It's not about President Donald Trump, who figures in very little, and it's not at all anti-white. It happens to be about a Black public figure who is very influential—she's probably an inspirational person to Black young people in particular."
"As an author, a reader, and a parent, I'm against book banning on principle," she added. "There couldn't be a safer way for kids to learn about difficult topics, gain new perspectives, and explore the world and their place in it than by reading words on a page."
Maria Corrales DiPetta, a spokesperson for the Katy Independent School District, revealed that school administrators ultimately decided to reject the parent's request after further review.
This news comes on the heels of Tennessee's McMinn County School District successfully banning Maus, a graphic novel about the Holocaust, earlier this year.
This matter also coincides with legislators in Florida and Mississippi targeting the teaching of Critical Race Theory (CRT).
