AUSTIN — Texas Governor Greg Abbott today sent a second letter to state education authorities claiming minors “have been exposed to pornographic books and content in Texas public schools” and instructing the Texas Education Agency to “investigate any criminal activity in our public schools involving the availability of pornography.”
Today’s letter from the Republican governor follows the one Abbott sent last week to the state’s Association of School Boards, endorsing a group of parents who demanded their children be “shielded” from some books in school libraries, and referring to the material as “clearly pornographic images and substance” and “obscene content.”
Abbott's letters, the Texas Tribune reported, were prompted by “an inquiry launched by state Rep. Matt Krause, a Fort Worth Republican running for Texas attorney general. Krause sent a letter to certain school districts with an 850-book list that included novels about racism and sexuality.”
Today, Abbott repeated the call for the Texas Education Agency, the State Board of Education and the Texas State Library and Archives Commission “to begin developing statewide standards to prevent the presence of pornography and other obscene content in Texas public schools.”
He added, “while these standards are being developed, more immediate action is needed to protect Texas students.”
Quoting Section 43.24 of the Texas Penal Code, Abbott warned that the availability of what he considers “pornographic material that serves no educational purpose” to students in Texas public schools “is a clear violation of the law.”
Abbott also ordered an investigation into “any criminal activity in our public schools involving the availability of pornography. During this investigation, I ask the agency to refer any instance of pornography being provided to minors under the age of 18 for prosecution to the fullest extent of the law.”