Michelle Obama Biography: Texas School District Declines Parent Who Asked to Remove Book From Its Library

A biography about former First Lady Michelle Obama will remain in the library after a Texas school district declined calls for its removal. A parent allegedly complained that the book unfairly painted former President Donald Trump in a bad light.

"Michelle Obama: Political Icon," which was authored by Heather E. Schwartz, is included in the list of books that parents from Katy, Texas wants to ban. In a statement published on Insider, Maria Corrales DiPett from the Katy Independent School District said they reviewed the book following the parent's complaint and determined it should not be taken out of the library's collection.

Schwartz also told People that she was surprised about the complaint since the biography is a children's book and was not written with any political slant. The author also stated that she's against banning books, as a parent and a reader, and there are safer options for the children to gain new perspectives on different topics.

Read Also: Texas Mom Reports School Bullies Who Gave Her 6-Year-old Daughter Hickeys

Why a Parent Complained about the Michelle Obama Biography

According to NBC News, the parents in the Texas school district wanted to ban 50 books that cover topics like racism, gender, sexuality, race, and sex. Some 86 moms or dads took further steps to file complaints and ask school officials to review the books for a pull-out.

The mother who complained about the Michelle Obama biography said she wanted the book banned for all grade levels for implying that Trump is a bully. The mom also said that Obama's views of race would make any white girl feel ashamed of themselves.

In December, the Texas school district started taking some books out of the shelves as parents cited the vulgarity of its content for young readers. During that time, Superintendent Ken Gregorski said that they wanted the library collection to contain age-appropriate books for the kids and their families.

A state representative then asked school libraries and classrooms for a list of books that might be uncomfortable for kids to read. His own list included books like "Everything You Need to Know About Going to the Gynecologist" (Shifra Diamond), "The Black Power Movement and Civil Unrest" (Kerry Hinton), and "Teen Suicide" (Roleff L. Tamara).

Since then, an unprecedented number of complaints from parents, backed by some conservative politicians, have reached other school districts. Texas Governor Greg Abbott warned that school staff members could be criminally liable for allowing kids access to young adult novels that some parents said may be considered pornography.

Texas Librarians Launch #FReadom

This has pushed librarians in Texas to launch a campaign against censorship, dubbed #FReadom, on social media. One librarian said that kids are not forced to read or check out the books, and parents do not have the authority to dictate what books should be available in the library.

An LGBTQ student said that she is outraged over the removal of books highlighting queer characters. She said that their stories give hope and motivation for people still struggling with their identities.

Meanwhile, The American Library Association received more than 330 challenges and complaints about controversial books for fall season alone. In Tennessee, the board of education in McMinn County voted to ban "Maus," an eighth-grade book about the holocaust, as it included curse words and nudity.

In Wyoming, some parents called for prosecuting the library employees who stocked books on sex education that included LGBTQ+ themes. The state attorney refused to file a lawsuit.

Related Article: Moms for Liberty to Pay a $500 Reward for Anyone Who Reports Teachers Who Discuss 'Divisive Subjects'