A Texas school district canceled a scheduled visit from Recent York Times bestselling writer Emma Straub after learning she “commonly used” foul language on social media.
The novelist was going to read her first children’s picture book, “Very Good Hats,” to kindergarteners and first graders at two elementary schools within the Katy Independent School District outside of Houston on Jan. 13, nonetheless, the district decided to rescind their invite a day before Straub’s visit, the Houston Chronicle reported.
“It has been dropped at our attention that this writer has commonly used inappropriate and foul language on her social media platforms — specifically repeated use of the ‘F’ word,” administrators wrote to oldsters and staff from each schools in an email on Jan. 12.”One of these language, as you recognize, doesn’t align with our college and community’s values.”
“We apologize for any misunderstandings or inconvenience regarding this decision,” the district continued. “Though, ensuring we’re consistently modeling appropriate behaviors and expectations for our students, each within the classroom and via other campus opportunities, is of high priority.”
One Katy ISD parent, Anne Russey, tweeted out a screenshot of a grievance she found from a fellow parent during which the parent posted an expletive-laced tweet from Straub and demanded the district “do higher” vetting guest speakers.
“F-ck guns, f-ck individuals who care more about controlling women’s bodies than protecting all of us from individuals with guns, f-ck!” Straub tweeted on May 24, 2022. “It’s an excessive amount of. So heartbroken.”
May 24, 2022 was the date of the massacre at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas , during which 19 students and two teachers were mercilessly gunned down.
“Once more @katyisd caves to the unrelenting demands of fogeys who insist on restricting access and experiences for ALL students and never just their very own,” Russey said in response to the cancellation.
Straub, who’s penned six novels including NYT’s bestsellers “This Time Tomorrow” and “Modern Lovers,” responded to Russey and said she was “sorry to not give you the option to read my silly book about hats and imagination to those kids.”
“The one F words within the presentation: funny, feline, feelings,” she said.
In keeping with Chron, Katy ISD similarly canceled a scheduled event from award-winning writer and cartoonist Jerry Craft in October.
The college removed the writer’s books from its libraries after parents claimed the books professed “Critical Race Theory.” The district later rescheduled Craft’s visit and returned the books to the library, based on Chron.
In 2021, the college began removing books from its library it found “pervasively vulgar,” and opened an internet portal for fogeys to suggest books that must be reviewed for his or her appropriateness for youngsters.
